What is Femoral Head Necrosis?

Femoral head necrosis (FHN) is a condition in which the blood supply to the highest part of the the femur is compromised. This leads to cell death in the marrow and the bone and interferes with the normal activity of osteoblasts and osteoclasts and loss of the structural integrity of the femoral head. The treatment of the FHN is an unresolved orthopedic problem and multiple approaches are used for its management. HBOT therapy makes oxygen available to marrow cells and facilitates the bone remodeling processes through edema reduction and angioneogenesis stimulation.

How does the Oxford Recovery Model help with Femoral Head Necrosis?

Hyperbaric oxygen has the ability to massively create stem cells in your body. In fact, studies show that your body produces 800% more stem cells after 40 treatments of hyperbaric oxygen. Your body uses these stem cells as extra resources to heal and recover, since stem cells are able to grow up into any kind of cell the body needs. In the case of FHN, there can be body tissues which need to be repaired even after toxins and pathogens have been removed from the body. The stem cells produced by hyperbaric oxygen are able to repair this damage.

Hyperbaric oxygen also kickstarts the body’s natural immune system. Hyperbaric oxygen grows brand new white blood cells, modulates immune reactions, and causes new collagen to grow in the gut where 90% of the immune system is located. Better gut function translates to better digestion, absorption of nutrients, and more good probiotic bacteria that keep our immune systems healthy. A healthy immune system is essential for recovery from FHN.

FHN is marked by chronic inflammation and constant oxidative stress. Hyperbaric oxygen dramatically lowers inflammation and decreases oxidative stress as it grows new blood vessels throughout the body, providing a new infrastructure of oxygen-rich blood and nutrients to reach inflamed tissue. Hyperbaric oxygen creates a new and ongoing positive chain of events in the body that helps lead to recovery from FHN.

Research

Click on the links below to discover more about the science behind the Oxford Recovery Model

• Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Femoral Head Necrosis
• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy as a treatment for stage-I avascular necrosis of the femoral head