Duke surgeons offer free vascularized bone grafts for young patients whose hip bones are deteriorating.

Avascular necrosis, or osteonecrosis, occurs when bones are destroyed, often due to losing their blood supply. This death of bone tissue can cause joint surfaces to collapse.

When this condition occurs in the hip, it can cause significant pain and disability to the patient.

Purpose of Free Vascularized Bone Grafts

The free vascularized bone graft surgery was developed as a way to treat avascular necrosis in the hip without having to do a total hip replacement.

Artificial hips have an average lifespan of about 15 year, which means that young patients with avascular necrosis would likely need multiple joint replacements during the course of their lives.

Duke’s orthopaedic surgeons developed the free vascularized hip bone graft as a way to ensure young patients preserve the use of their hip bones.

In this procedure, our surgeons remove the dead bone from the hip and replace it with healthy bone from the fibular and a new blood supply, thus preserving the patient’s native hip joint.

Multidisciplinary Treatment for Avascular Necrosis

Within Duke Orthopaedics, a comprehensive team of physicians, physician assistants, nurses, anesthesiologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and patient resource managers devote themselves to serving osteonecrosis patients.

Each member of this dedicated staff works cooperatively to provide you with the most accurate information and best possible care in a compassionate and timely manner. They are there to address the concerns and support the needs of every free vascularized fibular graft patient.

The free vascularized bone graft for the hip procedure was pioneered at Duke by Dr. James Urbaniak in 1979. Since then over 2,500 free vascularized fibular graft procedures have been performed by the Duke team.

Patients are referred to Duke University Medical Center from all over the world to have this procedure performed.

Appointments for Free Vascularized Hip Bone Grafts

To make an appointment for a consultation about the free vascularized bone graft procedure, contact 888-ASK-DUKE (888-275-3853).

Physicians

Physicians offering the free vascularized bone graft for the hip surgery include:

• Ruch, David S.
  • Orthopaedics

Locations

The free vascularized hip bone graft procedure is available at locations convenient to people in Raleigh, Durham, Cary, and Chapel Hill, North Carolina, including:

• Duke University Hospital
  2301 Erwin Road, Durham, NC 27710