The effect of fenestration on intraosseous drainage in osteoarthritis of the hip.

Eight patients with osteoarthritis of the hip, rest pain and intraosseous hypertension of the proximal femur obtained ameliorated rest pain and reduced intraosseous hypertension 3 months after a fenestration operation in the region of the greater trochanter. They were investigated with intraosseous phlebography of the proximal femur. Six patients showed delayed intraosseous drainage and 7 had altered patterns of drainage before the operation. Three months after the operation the phlebograms showed an even more prolonged drainage time. However, this difference was not of a statistically significant magnitude. Drainage patterns remained mainly unchanged.