Treatment of Femoral Head Osteonecrosis by Core Decompression with and without Autograft of Concentrated Mononuclear Cells Infusion (A Comparative Study)

The use of stem cell is believed to reduce pain and delay the deterioration in the early stages of femoral head osteonecrosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of autologus concentrated mononuclear bone marrow cell implantation after core decompression in femoral heads that were in the early stages of osteonecrosis.

Twenty eight femoral heads with osteonecrosis that were undergoing core decompression were randomly divided into two groups of 14. One group received additional implantation of autologus bone marrow mononuclear cells. The two groups were، then evaluated within 2 years with WOMAC (Western Ontario and McMaster University osteoarthritis index)، visual analogue pain index (VAS) and MRI of the femoral heads.

A significant improvement in WOMAC، and VAS scores was observed within the 2 years of follow-up in the implanted group، compared to the control group (p<. 001). The MRI findings were also significantly better in the implanted group (p=. 046)، with 3 cases showing change to a lower osteonecrosis stage. The control group، on the other hand، showed worsening in the osteonecrotic heads (p<. 001).

Implantation of concentrated bone marrow mononuclear cell in the femoral heads undergoing core decompression in the early stages of osteonecrosis can reduce symptoms، and improve staging of osteonecrosis، better than core decompression alone.