Although many etiopathological theories and multiple causes have been suggested for non traumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head, the physiopathology of this illness it has not been clarified yet. In the last few years some studies relate the appearance of the illness with coagulation disorders in these patients. Due to the development of sequencing genetic techniques, it has also been possible to associate the illness with different genetic polymorphisms of enzymes implicated in osteonecrosis physiopathology. The present article has been carried out with an exhaustive bibliographic revision about the already known etiologic factors, the classical ones such as corticoids, alcohol and tobacco, as well as the ones of recent appearance.

Although many etiopathological theories and multiple causes have been suggested for non traumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head, the physiopathology of this illness it has not been clarified yet. In the last few years some studies relate the appearance of the illness with coagulation disorders in these patients. Due to the development of sequencing genetic techniques, it has also been possible to associate the illness with different genetic polymorphisms of enzymes implicated in osteonecrosis physiopathology. The present article has been carried out with an exhaustive bibliographic revision about the already known etiologic factors, the classical ones such as corticoids, alcohol and tobacco, as well as the ones of recent appearance.