OBJECTIVETo evaluate the contribution of the deep circumflex iliac arterial vascularized iliac bone grafting to the reconstruction of the blood supply of the femoral head through the digital subtraction angiography (DSA) or computied tomographic scanning angiography (CTA) of the both deep circumflex iliac artery and ECT, MRI judgement.

METHODSForty-five patients with the intracapsular fracture of femoral neck included 30 males and 15 females with an average age of 36.5 years ranging from 16 to 50. The course was from 6 to 25 days(means 10.2 days). There were 20 cases of sub-headfractures, 10 cases of head-neck, 15 cases of trans-neck. All patients were treated by 3 titanium alloy cannulated screws and deep circumflex iliac arterial vascularized iliac bone grafting. A follow-up for an average of 3 years and 6 months was performed. The engorging of the artery and reconstruction of the blood supply of the femoral head was viewed dynamicly,using digital subtraction angiography (DSA) or computied tomographic scanning angiography (CTA) of the both deep circumflex iliac artery and ECT, MRI judgement of the femoral head.

RESULTSThree weeks after operation, 38 transferred arteries were engorging via DSA, 2 of 7 not via CTA, but engorging via DSA. One year later after operation, all arteries were engorging via DSA or CTA. ECT examination in 3, 6, 12 months after operation displayed nuclide enriching in the femoral head and distributing uniformity. The region of interest (ROI) ratios of the fractured head of femur to contralateral counterpart (D/N) in all cases > 1.0. The average D/N after 3 months was (2.12 +/- 0.21), (2.04 +/- 0.14) after 6 months, (l1.71 +/- 0.11) after 12 months. There was statistical differation between D/N after 12 months and 3 or 6 months (P < 0.05), but not between 3 and 6 months (P > 0.05), and MRI examination in all cases no founded decreasing of the density and changing of the form of the femoral head.

CONCLUSIONDSA, CTA, ECT, MRI confirmed that the deep circumflex iliac arterial vascularized iliac bone can provide effective blood supply and is profit to the reconstruction of the blood supply of the femoral head after the fracture of the femoral neck.