[Selective arterial DSA of the femur head vessels].

Selective arterial DSA of the arteries of the femoral head was carried out in 39 patients. The appearances were studied in nine patients without any hip abnormality, in 13 idiopathic and eight post-traumatic cases of femoral head necrosis and in nine patients with recent fractures. In every patient the vessels were well demonstrated. In the presence of idiopathic aseptic necrosis there was always hypervascularity around the necrotic area. As in the normal controls, pathological findings were seen in the deep branch of the medial circumflex femoral artery and in the nutrient artery in one-third of patients. Post-traumatic aseptic necrosis, recent fractures and dislocations always showed abnormalities of the vessels to the femoral head. The changes in the femoral head vessels demonstrated by DSA are probably not of great significance for the development of idiopathic aseptic necrosis, however they are found regularly following trauma.