Judas, FCosta, PGarcia, JSaavedra, MJ2010-12-202010-12-202009Acta Reumatol Port. 2009 Apr-Jun;34(2B):419-25http://hdl.handle.net/10400.4/909We report the clinical and biological results of the surgical treatment of a femoral head osteonecrosis, Ficat classification stage III, in a 53 year old patient. The procedure included core decompression followed by insertion of a superficial demineralised and processed fibular bone allograft. A cemented total hip arthroplasty was performed at nine years follow-up. The histomorphological study of the excised femoral head showed the incorporation of the bone allograft. Although core decompression of the femoral head has been used in precollapse lesions, Ficat stage I and II, its combination with fibular allografting allowed the postponement of total hip prosthesis implantation for nine years. In this clinical case, the implantation of a total hip arthroplasty, as a primary surgical treatment, would also have been an alternative procedure, if it had only been considered the patient;s age and osteonecrosis extension.porNecrose da Cabeça do Fémurjournal article