Biological Augmentation With Retro-Drilling Core Decompression in Early Stage of Femoral Head Avascular Necrosis

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head can lead to end-stage osteoarthritis when left untreated. The incidence has been on the rise since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Core decompression of the femoral head is usually the first line of surgical treatment when conservative options fail. Additional biologic support (e.g., bone marrow aspiration concentrates, mesenchymal stem cell derivatives, adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction) has been shown to augment the effects of core decompression alone, but the nature and amount of this additional support is still a topic for debate. This technique describes a surgical approach featuring debridement through retro-drilling, core decompression, and biologic augmentation with stromal vascular fraction and bone marrow aspiration concentrate on the early stages of osteonecrosis of the femoral head.