Evaluating the clinical potential of bioceramic-rods for revascularization in osteonecrosis of the femoral head: a systematic review

Objective To evaluate the safety, reliability, and effectiveness of bioceramic rods (BR) in treating osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH), compared with other treatments such as core decompression and autologous bone grafting. Design Systematic review and meta-analysis.Data sourcesPubmed, Embase, and CNKI databases from January 2011 to July 2023. Eligibility criteria for study selection Included studies involved patients treated with bioceramic rods. Studies were required to have a follow-up time of more than six months and no statistically significant differences in baseline information between groups in controlled studies. Exclusions included literature reviews, case reports, conference abstracts, animal experiments, and studies without defined success criteria or lacking analysis on factors influencing efficacy. Main outcome measures The primary outcome measure was the Harris Hip Score (HHS) improvement rate. Secondary outcomes included the femoral head stability and survival rate, alongside the hip replacement rate. Results The systematic review revealed significant improvements in symptom relief and functional recovery using BR for the treatment of ONFH. An average follow-up of 20.44 months showed an overall HHS improvement rate of 33.93%. Hip preservation efficacy with BR was superior to core decompression and autologous bone grafting. The overall femoral head survival rate was 84.42%, with results sustained for three years. The success rate of hip preservation was notably higher with early intervention, which showed better outcomes when the overall HHS improvement exceeded 27%, and rates of excellent and good outcomes approached 90%. Conclusions Bioceramic rods offer a safe, minimally invasive, reliable, and effective treatment option for ONFH, ensuring substantial symptom relief and functional recovery. The technique's success in early disease stages suggests a strong potential for broader clinical adoption. Although additional benefits from combining BR with stem cells, platelet-rich plasma, and traditional Chinese medicine are noted, definitive conclusions on enhanced therapeutic effects remain inconclusive.