Stripped Cartilage of Femoral Head in Elderly Patients

Abstract

In middle-aged patients with idiopathic osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ION), stripped cartilage of the femoral head is typically found in the final stage. The present study was conducted to investigate whether or not stripped cartilage of the femoral head is found in elderly patients with ION. Ten femoral heads with stripped cartilage, obtained during total hip arthroplasty, were investigated by roentgenographic, histologic, or both examinations. All patients were women, with an average age of 73 years ranging from 60 to 87. Besides patients with ION, stripped cartilage of the femoral head was also observed in patients with primary osteoarthrosis and rapidly destructive coxopathy.