Osteonecrosis of the hip treated with core decompression: a case report

Osteonecrosis is a disease of impaired blood flow affecting mainly young people in their third ,fourth or fifth decades. It leads to collapse of the femoral head necessitating Total hip replacement. A 44 year old female presented at Kenyatta National Hospital,Nairobi, Kenya. in 2006 where she was managed by the authors with acute right hip pain and thigh pain. Early osteonecrosis(FICAT stage II), was diagnosed with the aid of MRI and core decompression by three small diameter (3.2mm) drillings was performed. Follow-up at five years shows a radiological regression of the lesion.