In House M.D., what disease does Dr. House suffer from in his leg?

In House M.D., Dr. House suffers a muscle infarction in his leg.

House’s chronic leg pain results from an infarction in the quadriceps muscle, meaning that blood flow to part of the muscle was blocked and the tissue was damaged. The condition leaves him with permanent pain and an altered gait, so he commonly walks with a cane.

The show reveals that House’s leg crisis occurred before the series begins. He initially undergoes treatment that includes surgery, but later chooses a more conservative course that preserves his leg while leaving him with lasting disability. His dependence on Vicodin becomes a major part of his character arc.

The condition is often loosely described as a “blood clot,” but that wording is not the show’s precise diagnosis. House’s infarction is in muscle tissue, not a simple case of bone cancer or deep-vein thrombosis.