Figure 1.

Histological observations of the femoral head six weeks after the surgery (200 × magnification). (a) Representative photomicrograph of the subchondral bone of the femoral head in three groups. (a1) The model group showed sparser trabecular bone with more empty lacunae (29.0 ± 5.75%), surrounded by few spindle-shaped osteoblasts, few marrow cells, and more marrow fat cells. (a2) In the CD group, a somewhat decreased number of empty lacunae (24.6 ± 6.11%) in the CD group was observed (P > 0.05, n = 10). (a3) Compared with the model group and the CD group, the DFO group showed fewer empty lacunae (10.8 ± 4.44%) and abundant hematopoietic tissue in the bone marrow (P < 0.05, n = 10). (b) Representative photomicrograph of tissue within the bone tunnel. (b1) The tunnel made by core decompression was filled with fibrovascular tissue in the CD group. (b2) The tunnel was filled with massive newly formed trabecular tissue in the DFO group. (c) Representative photomicrograph of tissue around the bone tunnel. (c1) In the trabecular bone around the bone tunnel in the CD group, more empty lacunae were found. In addition, the trabecular bone was surrounded with fibrous tissue. (c2) In the DFO group, less empty lacunae were found in the trabecular bone and the trabecular bone was surrounded with normal marrow. (A color version of this figure is available in the online journal.)