An Evaluation of Core Decompression and Cancellous Bone Grafting for Early-Stage Avascular Necrosis of the Femoral Head

Background Avascular necrosis (AVN) is characterized by bone death due to impaired blood supply leading to its collapse causing pain and suboptimal joint function. The blood supply of the femoral head is so tenuous that even a slight vascular injury can predispose to AVN. Hence, AVN is commonly seen in the femoral head. Core decompression can arrest or even reverse the process of AVN and can avoid femoral head collapse and its sequelae. A lateral trochanteric approach is used for core decompression. The necrotic bone is removed from the femoral head. The use of a non-vascularized bone graft is more attractive than a vascularized graft because it is significantly less technically challenging. The regenerative properties due to the presence of osteoblasts in the trabecular bone and the ability to procure a large amount of graft make the iliac crest the gold standard site of cancellous bone graft harvesting. Core decompression can be considered an effective treatment modality in early-stage AVN (up to stage 2B) of the femoral head. Methodology A prospective, interventional study was conducted in a tertiary care teaching hospital in southern Rajasthan, India. 20 Patients with AVN of the femoral head (up to grade 2B of Ficat and Arlet classification) who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria and presented to the orthopedic outpatient department of our institute were included in this study. Patients were treated with core decompression and cancellous bone grafting with a graft taken from the iliac crest. The Harris Hip Score (HHS) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score were used to assess the outcomes. Results In our study, the majority (50%) of the patients were in the 20-30-year age group, making it the most common age group with a male predominance (85%). In this study, the final result was calculated according to the HHS and VAS scores. The mean HHS was 69.45 preoperatively and 83.55 at six months postoperatively. Similarly, the mean VAS score was 6.3 preoperatively and 3.8 at six months postoperatively. Conclusions Core decompression with cancellous bone grafting is a promising procedure in stages 1 and 2 as it reduces the symptoms in the majority of cases and improves functional outcomes.