[Necrosis and ischemia of the femoral head during arteritis of the lower extremities. Survey of 138 patients with arteritis and 159 aortographies].

Among 138 subjects suffering form arteritis of the lower limbs, the authors found clinical signs of lesions in one or both hips in 47.6 percent of cases and radiological signs in one or both hips in 42.8 percent of cases. Five patients presented a distinct flattening of the femoral head indicating necrosis at stage III, 19 showed voluminous or multiple dense islets in the femoral collar or head indicating necrotic lesions at stage II, and 26 showed narrowing of the superior joint space mostly on the internal side. The authors think ihat the latter sign indicates ischaemic chondropathy. Eleven of the 138 patients had undergone pertrochanteric phlebography : this was abnormal in all 11 cases. At the same time the authors studied the coxofemorals on 159 aortograms and found, among other anomalies, 2 cases of advanced necrosis at the stage of rupture (stage III). This study tends to confirm the occurrence of necrotic lesions of the femur that are secondary to arteriopathies.