OBJECTIVETo investigate a new method for the treatment adult early femur head necrosis in order to avoid further collapse and necrosis and improve the clinical symptoms.

METHODSFrom January 2009 to June 2010, 10 hips of 9 patients, including 7 males and 2 females, aged from 29 to 63 years old (averaged 44.1), with femur head necrosis were treated with implantation of the tantalum screw. The X-ray film, CT scan and MRI were performed before operation. According to Steinberg staging, stage I was in 1 case (1 hip), stage II a in 4 cases(5 hips), stage II b in 4 cases (4 hip). With the C-arm X-ray conducted guide, wire was drilled into the center of femur head necrosis regions from the greater trochanter bottom, hollow bodkin enlarged marrow along the guide wire, scraped necrosis sequestrum, transplanted bone if necessary,then implantated the appropriate tantalum screw to prop up the articular surface. The patients were followed up at 3rd, 6th, 9th month postoperatively, the clinical effects were evaluated according to the JOA criteria, and the changes of the femoral head were observed by X-rays.

RESULTSThe mean operative time was 50 min (ranged from 40 to 60 min); the mean blood loss was 80 ml (ranged from 60 to 100 ml). There was no complications, such as postoperative infection, fracture, deep vein thrombosis and so on. All patients were followed up more than 9 months. No aggravation in collapse and necrosis were found by regular X-ray examination. Post-operative JOA score increased month by month. JOA scores increased obviously from preoperative (31.30 +/- 19.63) to (54.10 +/- 13.20), (69.90 +/- 15.04), (87.00 +/- 8.83) at the 3,6,9 months after operation, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe tantalum screw implantation is simple and effective for the treatment of adult early femur head necrosis, and can effectively avoid collapse of necrotic area, the results were satisfactory in the near future.