Femoral Head Avascular Necrosis Is Not Caused by Arthroscopic Posterolateral Femoroplasty

Abstract

This study was conducted to identify the risk of avascular necrosis of the femoral head after arthroscopic femoroplasty extending to the posterolateral femoral neck, the source of the primary blood supply to the femoral head. Cam lesions of femoroacetabular impingement are typically anterior along the junction of the femoral head and neck. However, anatomic variations can involve the posterolateral vascular region of the femoral head and neck. Femoroplasty involving this vascular region can lead to injury to the blood supply to the femoral head, with subsequent avascular necrosis. If the posterolateral portion of the cam lesion is preserved, persistent femoroacetabular impingement may occur. A retrospective review identified 112 patients who underwent arthroscopic femoroplasty for femoroacetabular impingement over a 2-year period. Of these patients, 14 had femoroplasty that extended to the posterolateral femoral head. Of this group, 5 had undergone magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after femoroplasty and the other 9 were contacted to undergo MRI of the hip to evaluate for avascular necrosis. A radiologist and the senior author evaluated all MRI scans specifically for avascular necrosis of the femoral head. All procedures were performed by the senior author. Mean age of the 14 patients (8 women and 6 men) with femoroplasty that extended into the posterolateral vascular region of the femoral head was 44 years (range, 23-69 years). All 14 patients underwent MRI evaluation of the affected hip a mean of 25 months (range, 7-44 months) after femoroplasty. No MRI scans showed evidence of avascular necrosis of the femoral head. Femoroplasty of the posterolateral vascular region of the femoral head is not associated with avascular necrosis. Patients with femoroacetabular impingement and a cam lesion extending to the posterolateral femoral head can undergo femoroplasty of this region without the development of avascular necrosis. [Orthopedics. 2016; 39(3):177-180.].