Treatment of necrosis of the femur condyle with a medial gliding knee prosthesis

Spontaneous osteonecrosis of the femoral condyles occurs rather seldom particularly in elderly patients. Whereas some authors recommend valgusosteotomy and bone drilling, implantation of a unilateral knee prosthesis should be performed in the presence of large defects. It is reported a series of 11 patients suffering from osteonecrosis of the femoral condyle. All patients were treated by a unilateral knee prosthesis with good results except one case. The filling of the defect with cancellous bone prior to the implantation of the condylar part of the prosthesis is mandatory.