Nonsurgical treatment of osteonecrosis is limited and orthopedic hip surgery remains the gold standard for treatment. Nonsurgical treatments have a certain amount of effectiveness for cases of early-stage disease (first stage 1) however, the risk of disease progression is greater with nonsurgical treatment than with orthopedic hip surgery intervention.

Hip osteonecrosis is the result of a lack of adequate blood supply to the femoral head. Without adequate blood supply nourishment, the bone in the head of the femur dies and gradually collapses. As a result, the articular cartilage covering the hip bones also collapses, leading to disabling and painful arthritis of the hip.

I would highly recommend Dr. Davidovitch to anyone who is thinking about a total hip replacement. Wish now that I would have done it sooner. The care was the best and the recovery was quick and actually painless – 2 months after surgery and you don’t even realize that I had surgery. It was the best thing I could have done and I’m thankful that someone else had recommended Dr. Davidovitch to me. ~ Healthgrades

Please note: We accept full out-of-network insurance benefits (we will contact your insurance company and submit for you). Most policies reimburse patients for most of the cost of hip osteonecrosis diagnosis and surgery. Our surgical coordinator will assist you with all paperwork, pre-authorizations, and approvals.

Orthopedic Hip Surgery for Osteonecrosis

There are four main types of surgery used for osteonecrosis:

  1. Core decompression surgery. Lowers pressure inside the bone to increase blood flow to the bone.
  2. Osteotomy. Reshapes the bone to reduce stress on the damaged joint in your hip.
  3. Bone graft. Takes healthy bone from one part of the body and uses it to replace diseased bone in your hip.
  4. Total joint replacement. Replaces the joint with a man-made one.

What causes osteonecrosis?

  • Steroid medications and/or steroid abuse
  • Excessive alcohol use
  • Injury or trauma
  • Increased pressure inside the bone

Risk factors for osteonecrosis are:

  • Radiation treatment
  • Chemotherapy
  • Kidney and other organ transplants

Osteonecrosis is more common in people with illnesses such as:

  • Cancer
  • Lupus
  • HIV
  • Gaucher’s disease
  • Caisson disease
  • Gout
  • Vasculitis
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Osteoporosis
  • Blood disorders such as sickle-cell

Our NYC orthopedic surgeons pride themselves with providing you highly personalized and comprehensive care.