Osteophytes and the osteoarthritic femoral head.

The study describes the topography, morphology and growth of osteophytes in forty femoral heads removed from patients presenting with advanced osteoarthritis of the hip. In addition to standard histological techniques, radiography of serial bone slices in vivo bone labelling with tetracycline and 32P were used. The pattern of major osteophyte formation appeared to be influenced by the direction, degree and rate of displacement of the femoral head in relation to the acetabulum; four principal patterns of growth were noted. Osteophytes form part of extensive osteogenic processes that involve bone structure in the osteoarthritic joint.