ABSTRACT
Several difficult problems arise in the treatment of necrotic bone disorders such
as femoral head necrosis or Kienböck's disease for which no definitive treatment as
yet exists. The recent literature has recommended vascularized bone transfers as suitable
for these disorders, but there have been few experimental studies done and resulting
effects are still currently obscure. Using a rabbit model, the effects of vascularized
bone graft on the surrounding necrotic bone were analyzed. Results suggest that the
periosteal muscle cuff remains as fibrous or fatty tissue and interferes with the
bony union between the graft and the host bone; the graft was found to be gradually
resorbed. The main function of the procedure appears to be the provision of vessels
into avascular bone.
