Early Stages Non-Traumatic Avascular Necrosis of Femoral Head Treated by Core Decompression With and Without Platelets Rich Plasma Injection: A Comparative Study

Abstract

Core decompression is one of the commonest used techniques in the handling of osteonecrosis of the pre-collapsed head of the femur. Core decompression had succeeded in preserving the hip joint and delaying the requisite for total hip replacement, but it had failed in the induction of osteogenesis in the necrotic area, thus augmenting core decompression with biological agents to induce osteogenic activity. To assess the effects of platelet-rich plasma in non-traumatic avascular necrosis of the hip joint (early stage) after core decompression. Interventional comparative study for twenty-four patients (32 hip joints) with AVN of the head of the femur was involved in this prospective study, and they were separated into two groups of 16 hips, group (A) treated by core decompression and PRP injection and group (B) treated by core decompression alone. There was a significant statistical difference in Harris Hip Score and Visual Analogue of the two groups at six months follow up (P<0.05), but this difference was insignificant statistically at 12 months follow up. The radiological success was better in the group (A) as compared to group (B) (13 of 16 versus 10 of 16 hips). The addition of PRP to core decompression for pre-distorted stages of the head of the femur had resulted in improved pain alleviation and functional results and had slowed the disease progression in the one year of follow up.