Which disease caused Dr. House’s permanent leg disability in House M.D.?

A thigh infarction caused Dr. House’s permanent leg disability in House M.D. The infarction damaged muscle in his right thigh after a blood clot blocked circulation.

House initially suffers severe pain and eventually undergoes surgery to remove dead muscle. He refuses the amputation recommended by Stacy Warner, his then-girlfriend and a lawyer involved in the case. Because the damaged tissue remains, House is left with chronic pain, a limp, and reliance on a cane.

The injury occurred before the main events of the series. House manages the pain with medication, especially Vicodin, and his dependence on the drug becomes one of the show’s continuing storylines. His disability also affects how colleagues and patients perceive him, although it never prevents him from practicing medicine.

The condition is often loosely described as a leg infarction, but the show specifically identifies the damaged area as muscle in the thigh. That distinction makes “thigh infarction” the most precise answer.