[Treatment of early osteonecrosis of femoral head by core decompression and autograft of mesenchymal stem cell cultured in vitro under arthroscopy: experiment with rabbits].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the therapeutic effect of core decompression and autograft of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) cultured in vitro under arthroscopy in treatment of early osteonecrosis of femoral head.

METHODS: Thirty-six rabbits were made into models of early osteonecrosis of femoral head of the right leg, and then randomly divided into 3 equal groups: Group A group as control group, Group B group undergoing simple core decompression under arthroscopy by clearing out of necrotic bone, and Group C undergoing core decompression and implantation of MSCs. Four and 8 weeks later 6 rabbits from each group underwent roentgenography and then were killed with their femoral heads taken out to undergo histological examination.

RESULTS: Four weeks later new bone was evident in the implantation field of Group C while fibrous tissues were evident in the femoral head of Group B. Pathological examination showed regular shape and normal density of femoral head in Group C and irregular shape and low density of femoral head in Group B. X-ray photograph 8 weeks after treatment showed that the femoral head articular surface of Group A collapsed, uneven density and defect of spongy bone were seen in Group B, and the shape of femoral head of Group C was regular without collapse and the original defect had been repaired.

CONCLUSION: With strong osteogenic function, MSCs improve the repair of ischemic necrosis of femoral head and can be used in treatment of early osteonecrosis of femoral head via core decompression and autograft of MSCs cultured in vitro under arthroscopy.