Effects of electrical stimulation in the treatment of osteonecrosis of the femoral head.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to examine whether the use of an internal electrostimulator could improve the results obtained with core decompression alone in the treatment of osteonecrosis of the femoral head. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of 41 patients (55 hips) treated for osteonecrosis of the femoral head between 2005 and 2014. Mean follow-up time was 56 (12-108) months. We recorded 3 parameters: time to recurrence of pain, time to conversion to arthroplasty and time to radiographic failure. Survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The equality of the survival distributions was determined by the Log rank test. RESULTS: Implanted electrostimulator was a factor that increased the survival of hips in a pre-op Steinberg stage of II or below, while it remained unchanged if the stage was III or higher. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of an internal electrostimulator provides increased survival compared to core decompression alone at stages below III.