Joint Preservation Procedures for Osteonecrosis.

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head is characterized by reduced intraosseous blood flow to the subchondral bone. The management of early osteonecrosis usually involves joint preservation procedures to provide pain relief, prevent disease progression, and avoid joint replacement. A thorough clinical evaluation is crucial to identify at-risk patients and allow early intervention with joint preservation. The decision to use one joint preserving method over another is dependent on staging and patient characteristics. Surgeons should have a thorough understanding of the available joint preservation procedures to help determine the optimal treatment modality for their patients.