OBJECTIVETo compare the efficacy difference between acupotomy and acupuncture in the treatment of avascular necrosis of femoral head at the early and middle stages.

METHODSThe randomized controlled prospective study method was adopted. Sixty cases of avascular necrosis of femoral head at Ficat-ArletⅠto Ⅱ stages were randomized into an acupotomy group (32 cases) and an acupuncture group (28 cases) by the third part. In the acupotomy group, the acupotomy was adopted for the loose solution at the treatment sites of hip joint, once every two weeks, totally for 3 times. In the acupuncture group,points around the hip joint were selected and stimulated with warm acupuncture therapy, once every day, for 6 weeks. Harris hip score was observed before and after treatment. The efficacy was evaluated in the two groups.

RESULTSHarris hip score was improved significantly after treatment in the two groups (both<0.05). The result in acupotomy group was better than that in the acupuncture group (<0.05). The effective rate was 90.6% (29/32) in the acupotomy group, better than 75.0% (21/28) in the acupuncture group after treatment (<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSHarris hip score and the effective rate in the acupotomy group are better than those in the treatment with routine acupuncture for avascular necrosis of femoral head at the early and middle stages.