Fatty degeneration of osteocytes of the fourth metatarsus in patients with idiopathic necrosis of the femoral head.

(1) Bone biopsies from the femoral heads and the fourth metatarsal head were obtained in the patients with idiopathic necrosis of the femoral head and with rheumatoid arthritis. (2) 71.4% of the patient with idiopathic necrosis of the femoral head revealed fatty degeneration of osteocytes in either the femur and/or metatarsus. (3) 57% of those patients demonstrated hyperlipidemia. (4) Metatarsal biopsies obtained from the patients with rheumatoid arthritis disclosed no fatty degeneration of osteocytes except in one patient treated with steroids.