Avascular necrosis (AVN) of the femoral head is a progressive disabling syndrome for which there is no widely accepted treatment. It has a worldwide incidence. It is associated with a variety of traumatic and non-traumatic conditions and disorders and can develop at any age. The diagnosis can be difficult to make and is often missed in its early stages.

Since a large proportion of those affected with AVN are young adults, and 50% of both hips are affected, hip replacements are not necessarily the answer. Hip replacements are performed in advanced cases where secondary hip arthritis has established. Hip replacements and resurfacing are a suboptimal solution for these young patients.

When the disease is detected early through MRIs, biological treatment is now possible in India. In fact, a biologic treatment option for early disease is a medical necessity and should be the treatment of choice whenever possible.

A leading orthopedic surgeon from Chennai, India is proposing a novel approach to this condition. This is through stem cells. Stem cells have the potential to regenerate any tissue. In this case, bone-forming stem cells are used to synthesize new bone on top of dead bone. Stem cells are collected from the patient’s pelvis.

There are two techniques that are being promoted. One is a three stage procedure and the other is a single stage procedure. Both procedures are performed in India, meaning you will save thousands of dollars in treatment costs.

The first method is the cultivation of stem cells in the laboratory to multiply the number of cells several million times. These cultured stem cells are reinjected into a previous central decompression site.

In the second method, bone marrow obtained from the pelvis is centrifuged in the operating room to produce a stem cell-rich bone marrow concentrate. These are injected into a central decompression site.

A paper presented at the recent meeting of the American Academy of Surgeons in New Orleans highlighted the success story of stem cells.

To learn more about the stem cell option and determine if your case is a good fit for this unique form of treatment, email

Dr.AKVenkatachalam at [email protected]

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