core decompression for AVN talus

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Is core decompression a viable treatment for AVN of the talus? Is it supposed to help the bone to revascularize or is it only for pain relief? Is this still considered "experimental"?

-- Lois Stevens (stevsj@aol.com), July 23, 2003

Answers

While I don't consider it 'experimental', avn of the talus is so rare that there is very little experience with it. As with core decompression of other joints, there is not a lot of evidence of revascularization, but it does stimulate new blood supply and new bone formation and this seems to 'stabilize' the bone. The evidence is not as strong for the talus as it is for the hip simply because there are so few cases. It is quite effective for pain relief

-- David Hungerford (dhunger@jhmi.edu), August 06, 2003.

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