Preradiologic stage of idiopathic femur head necrosis demonstrated by intraosseous pressure measurement

Abstract

Early identification is the focal point of efforts aimed toward efficient diagnosis and treatment of osteonecrosis. With the intraosseous pressure measurement method of Ficat and Arlet it is possible to determine the onset of this disease at the preradiological stage. At the Vienna-Speising Orthopedic Clinic 11 out of a total of 66 cases of idiopathic necroses of the femoral head were diagnosed at the preradiological stage. The only treatment given in these cases was decompression by removal of a bone cylinder. The follow-up examination after an average of 22 months revealed very good results in all cases, both subjectively and roentgenologically (stage deterioration did not occur in a single case).