The aim of the present study was to establish a novel animal model of osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided argon-helium cryotherapy system. A total of 48 rabbits were used to generate the ONFH models. In group I, the left femoral head of the rabbits received two cycles of argon-helium freezing-thawing under MRI guidance, while in group II, the right femoral head of each rabbit received only one cycle of argon-helium freezing-thawing. X-ray and histological examinations were performed. The percentages of lacunae in the femoral heads of group I at weeks 4, 8 and 12 following surgery (49.75±3.17, 62.06±4.12 and 48.25±2.76%, respectively) were higher than those in group II (39.13±4.48, 50.69±3.84 and 37.50±3.86%, respectively). In addition, the percentage of empty lacunae in group I was 62.06% at week 8 following surgery. Therefore, an animal model of ONFH was successfully established using an argon-helium cryotherapy system. The percentage of empty lacunae in group I was higher than that in group II at weeks 4, 8 and 12 after surgery.
Keywords: animal model; cryotherapy; femoral head; magnetic resonance imaging; osteonecrosis.