Stem cell therapy in bilateral osteonecrosis: computer-assisted surgery versus conventional fluoroscopic technique on the contralateral side.

PURPOSE: Surgical management of osteonecrosis with core decompression with stem cell therapy is a new procedure. The technique is performed with fluoroscopic guidance. This study attempts to determine if computer-navigated technique can improve the procedure. METHODS: Thirty consecutive patients with bilateral symptomatic osteonecrosis without collapse were included in this study during the year 2011. A prospective, randomized, and controlled study was conducted on 60 hips (bilateral osteonecrosis) using conventional fluoroscopy technique on one side and computer-based navigation on the contralateral side. Bone marrow aspirated from the two iliac crests was mixed before concentration. Each side received the same volume of concentrated bone marrow and the same number of cells 110,000 ± 27,000 cells (counted as CFU-F). RESULTS: Computer navigation achieved better parallelism to the ideal position of the trocar, with better trocar placement as regards to tip-to-subchondral distance and ideal centre position within the osteonecrosis for injection of stem cells. Using computer navigation took fewer attempts to position the trocar, used less fluoroscopy time, and decreased the radiation exposure as compared with surgery performed with conventional fluoroscopy. At the most recent follow-up (6 years), increasing the precision with computer navigation resulted in less collapse (7 versus 1) and better volume of repair (13.4 versus 8.2 cm3) for hips treated with the computer-assisted technique. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study suggest that computer navigation may be safely used in a basic procedure for injection of stem cells.