Steroid-induced osteonecrosis: a review.

Between 1963 and 1980 cortisone-induced osteonecrosis has been seen in 122 patients at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Montreal. Of these, 68 had had renal homotransplants; the others suffered from a variety of conditions. The femoral head was most commonly affected; the humeral head, distal femur, proximal tibia, talus and capitellum were also involved. There were two patterns of involvement, similar in all locations. The more common is subchondral osteolysis, which may heal without operation. The other is similar to osteochondritis dissecans and requires operation. Alteration in fat metabolism is the most likely cause of the condition. Vascular occlusion and bone death may result from an increase in fat cell size or from fat embolization. Treatment should be conservative as often as possible, but gratifying results have been obtained in those patients requiring surgical procedures.