What are the characteristics of alcohol-induced ischemic necrosis of the femoral head? The incidence of osteonecrosis is significantly higher in patients who abuse alcohol than in the general population. It is significantly more frequent in men than in women. Although the incidence of true osteonecrosis in alcoholics is not high, the incidence has now been reported to be 5.3 – 12%. This variability may be a consequence of the fact that alcohol causes osteonecrosis in certain susceptible populations. Although the mechanism of this disease remains poorly understood, foreign scholar Jacobs hypothesized that alcoholic osteonecrosis is due to fat embolism associated with concomitant hyperlipidemia. Additional scholars Gold and Cangemi state that alcoholic osteonecrosis appears to occur under the influence of a combination of factors. It is well established that alcohol intake (excessive alcohol consumption) is a cause of osteonecrosis, meaning that the occurrence of osteonecrosis is related to the amount of alcohol consumed and the number of years of alcohol consumption. However, defining excess (alcohol abuse) is difficult and determining the true incidence of alcohol-related osteonecrosis is difficult because the vast majority of reports are cross-sectional comparisons. A prospective foreign study revealed a 9.8-fold increase in the risk of osteonecrosis with a weekly alcohol intake of >400 ml. The associated risk increased from 2.7 times for <4000 drink-years per year to 9.0 times for 10,000 drink-years per year (drink years: defined as weekly alcohol consumption multiplied by the number of years of drinking). It should be noted that the alcohol concentration in foreign countries is generally 38-42 degrees, which is much lower than the concentration of liquor in China: 38-68 degrees. Therefore, national alcohol consumption is more likely to lead to ischemic necrosis of the femoral head.