Surgical treatment for osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) includes both joint-preserving techniques and joint replacement. Joint preservation is more effective in early-stage ONFH; thus, prompt diagnosis when the femoral head is still salvageable is an important clinical goal. We report a 20-year retrospective study that summarizes the proportion of patients diagnosed with early-stage versus late-stage ONFH at initial presentation to our practice. Our institutional database was reviewed to identify patients 18–65 years of age who were diagnosed with atraumatic ONFH in our clinic between 1998–2018. The Association Research Circulation Osseous (ARCO) system was used to stage ONFH, based on available imaging. Patients with prior surgical treatment for ONFH were excluded.Background
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