Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head Medscape

Description: Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) is the end point of a variety of disease processes resulting in decreased blood flow and, ultimately, cellular death within the femoral head. This debilitating disease typically affects younger patients (average age at treatment, 33-38 years old) and results in destruction of the hip joint. Between 10,000 and 20,000 new cases of ONFH are diagnosed each year in the United States and treatment costs of these patients is estimated to be more than $1.6 billion. Modern surgical technological advancements have improved outcomes for these patients. However, due to the relatively young age of onset, these patients are often subjected to multiple operative procedures during their lifetime.
Brett Levine, MS, MD, William Jaffe, MD Medscape General Medicine. 2003;5(2) Full text