PAIN MANAGEMENT WITH ILOPROST IN POSTPARTUM WOMEN WITH BONE MARROW EDEMA SYNDROME OF THE FEMORAL HEAD

Introduction: Bone marrow edema syndrome (BMES) of the femoral head in pregnant women is a rarely seen disease associated with disabling pain in the hip, beginning in the second or third trimester and persisting after parturition. Materials and Methods: We treated 4 postpartum women (6 hips) presenting with femoral head BMES with infusions of the prostacycline analogue iloprost (20 μg for 5 days) followed by 3 weeks of partial weight-bearing. Results: Symptoms regressed rapidly during and after therapy. After 4 weeks, all patients were asymptomatic with no limitations in ambulation. In the magnetic resonance imaging assessment, complete regression of BMES could be detected in three patients and minor residual BMES in the femoral neck was found in one patient (one hip) after 3 months. Pain did not recur in any patient at a mean follow-up of 31 months (range, 14 to 43 months). Conclusion: The vasoactive drug iloprost has good analgesic potency in the treatment of postpartum women suffering from BMES and accelerates the natural benign course of the disease.