Bone marrow edema syndrome in postpartal women: treatment with iloprost

Bone marrow edema syndrome of the femoral head in pregnant women is a rare disease resulting in disabling coxalgia, beginning in the last 3 months of pregnancy and persisting for several months after parturition. The parenteral administration of the vasoactive drug iloprost constitutes a new approach to the treatment of painful bone marrow edema syndrome of the hip of pregnant women. Six postpartal women (8 hips) with bone marrow edema syndrome of the femoral head were treated with iloprost followed by 3 weeks of partial weight-bearing. Relief from pain, restoration of functional capacity, and normalization of the MRI signal pattern were rapidly achieved, thus avoiding the need for surgical intervention. As the substance is contraindicated in pregnancy, therapy may begin only some days after parturition, with a short discontinuation in breastfeeding.