This study analysed the clinical and radiological outcome of
anatomical reduction of a moderate or severe stable slipped capital
femoral epiphysis (SCFE) treated by subcapital osteotomy (a modified
Dunn osteotomy) through the surgical approach described by Ganz. We prospectively studied 31 patients (32 hips; 16 females and
five males; mean age 14.3 years) with SCFE. On the Southwick classification,
ten were of moderate severity (head-shaft angle >
30° to 60°) and
22 were severe (head-shaft angle >
60°). Each underwent open reduction
and internal fixation using an intracapsular osteotomy through the
physeal growth plate after safe surgical hip dislocation. Unlike
the conventional procedure, 25 hips did not need an osteotomy of
the apophysis of the great trochanter and were managed using an
extended retinacular posterior flap. Aims
Patients and Methods
Controversy remains whether the contralateral
hip should be fixed in patients presenting with unilateral slipped capital
femoral epiphysis (SCFE). This retrospective study compares the
outcomes and cost of those patients who had prophylactic fixation
with those who did not. Between January 2000 and December 2010 a total of 50 patients
underwent unilateral fixation and 36 had prophylactic fixation of
the contralateral hip. There were 54 males and 32 females with a
mean age of 12.3 years (9 to 16). The rate of a subsequent slip
without prophylactic fixation was 46%. The risk of complications
was greater, the generic health measures (Short Form-12 physical
(p <
0.001) and mental (p = 0.004) summary scores) were worse.
Radiographic cam lesions in patients presenting with unilateral
SCFE were only seen in patients who did not have prophylactic fixation.
Furthermore, prophylactic fixation of the contralateral hip was
found to be a cost-effective procedure, with a cost per quality
adjusted life year gained of £1431 at the time of last follow-up. Prophylactic fixation of the contralateral hip is a cost-effective
operation that limits the morbidity from the complications of a
further slip, and the diminished functional outcome associated with
unilateral fixation. Cite this article:
We analysed the incidence of slipped capital
femoral epiphysis (SCFE) in South Australia, investigating possible associations
between an increased incidence of SCFE, the local indigenous population
and the Australian obesity epidemic during the last 20 years. Data
including race, age and gender were collected to obtain a profile
of the South Australian SCFE patient, and were then compared with
epidemiological data for South Australian adolescents. We concluded
that the incidence of both obesity and SCFE is increasing. We also
noted that the median weight of SCFE patients has increased and
the mean age at diagnosis has decreased. Despite weight profiles
comparable with those of the general population, we noted that an
indigenous child was three times more likely to develop SCFE than
a non-indigenous child. As far as we know there is no published
literature on the predisposition of Aboriginal Australians to SCFE.
1. By questionnaire, an attempt has been made to ascertain the characteristics of a hundred cases of slipping of the upper femoral epiphysis. 2. The principal object has been to see whether an etiological classification would be possible pending an assessment of the results of treatment. 3. Proper statistical analysis has proved impossible because of the incompleteness of the data. 4. As usual, boys predominated and were usually affected as much as three years older than the girls. 5. It was exceptional to find epiphysial slipping in a girl once she had begun to menstruate. 6. Nearly a quarter of the cases were bilateral, or became so after six to twenty-four months or more. 7. Little information came from an enquiry about dietary fads, the estimation of urinary ketosteroid excretion in twenty-three of the patients, or some minor pathological investigations. 8. No convincing evidence was found of skeletal retardation or of general thickening of epiphysial discs, such as might perhaps be expected in a hormonal disturbance characterised by defective epiphysial maturation. 9. From each child with the necessary data, indices of height, weight and build were ascertained, which would indicate his expectation of finding a place among a hundred physically normal children of his own sex and age, and, if so, where that place would be. From these studies four groups of children seemed to emerge: I) what may be called abnormally heavy children who would not find a place among a hundred, or somestimes a thousand, physically "normal" children of their own age and sex; 2) unusually heavy children who would find a place in the heaviest minority of the normal hundred; 3) a very small group of abnormally small people, among whom might be expected the subjects of pituitary infantilism; and 4) a large group of children of average physique for their sex and age. 10. From this information and from clinical evidence in the case returns, it appeared that a quarter of the assessable boys and nearly two-thirds of the assessable girls showed evidence of endocrine defect, quite apart from those who were merely unusually fat. 11. By distinguishing these two groups of children from a third group of constitutionally "normal," an attempt has been made to see whether there is any correlation between evident endocrine defect and such characteristics as bilateral affection, delayed epiphysial maturation, a history of relevant injury and its nature, and sudden or gradual epiphysial slipping. 12. No relationship was established between any of these characteristics and endocrine type: bilateral affection was no commoner in the endocrine group; delayed maturation was not demonstrated in either; a history of relevant injury was equally common, and its nature identical, in both; slipping might be sudden or gradual in either indiscriminately. 13. There was a history of seemingly relevant injury in half the patients, and it was much commoner with sudden slipping than with gradual slipping. Sudden slipping was often preceded by symptoms of gradual slipping, or sudden slipping of one epiphysis was sometimes followed by gradual slipping of the other. 14. In gradual slipping the cardinal symptoms were pain and limp, usually starting synchronously and gradually; the pain was usually intermittent and referred much more often to the hip than the knee; the limp was usually continuous. 15. Of signs, demonstrable wasting seemed to be absent as often as present, but shortening was usual. Lateral rotation deformity was usually present, adduction often, and flexion sometimes. In more than a third of the cases limitation of movement was slight enough to be easily missed. 16. The radiographic observations confirmed the seeming widening at the affected epiphysial disc, the greater displacement revealed by the lateral view, and the difficulty of identifying avascular necrosis before collapse. 17. Treatment was delayed in thirty-four casesâa third of the whole; the reasons have been analysed; diagnostic failure was the cause in nineteen. 18. A few cases outside the series have been mentioned briefly because of special points of interest: slipping in gross pituitary diseaseâin pituitary giantism, and(at the age of thirty-three) in pituitary hypogonadism; slipping with defect of the opposite lower limbâinfantile paralysis of the leg, and Legg-CalveÌ-Perthes disease of the hip; familial affectionâslipping in two brothers. 19. The results of treatment in the present cases, supplemented by others, have been studied by Dr John Hall and related to some of the clinical features. His paper appears separately.
We describe three cases of infantile tibia vara
resulting from an atraumatic slip of the proximal tibial epiphysis
upon the metaphysis. There appears to be an association between
this condition and severe obesity. Radiologically, the condition
is characterised by a dome-shaped metaphysis, an open growth plate
and disruption of the continuity between the lateral borders of
the epiphysis and metaphysis, with inferomedial translation of the
proximal tibial epiphysis. All patients were treated by realignment
of the proximal tibia by distraction osteogenesis with an external
circulator fixator, and it is suggested that this is the optimal
method for correction of this complex deformity. There are differences
in the radiological features and management between conventional
infantile Blount’s disease and this ‘slipped upper tibial epiphysis’
variant.
Eight slipped upper femoral epiphyses in patients who had had radiotherapy are described. These cases involved five patients in an "at risk" population of 48. This increased incidence is highly significant.
1. During the past twenty-five years there have been admitted to this orthopaedic service twelve children or adolescents having a close relative who previously or subsequently developed slipped upper femoral epiphysis. This represents an incidence of approximately 7 per cent. 2. There is some evidence that the incidence is considerably higher. 3. In addition to those with close relations also with slipped epiphysis, two patients had parents with osteoarthritis of the hip. 4. I believe, therefore, that in slipped upper femoral epiphysis there is evidence of a genetic defect. This is probably due to a recessive gene of low penetrance. The frequency in this region is high because the north-east of Scotland has very definite geographical boundaries and the rural, agricultural population, from which the majority of these cases were drawn, has formed until recently a stable community likely to show a greater than average incidence.
1. Epiphysial tilt commonly precedes slipping. 2. This tilt is due to a diminished or arrested growth from compression of the back of the epiphysial plate. 3. The stresses on the upper end of the femur are such that the upper femoral epiphysial plate is peculiarly liable to compression. 4. A primary abnormality of the cartilage of the epiphysial plate renders it susceptible to the effect of compression. 5. Because this abnormality is diffuse, deformities due to a similar pathology may be found elsewhere, notably in the spine.
1. A series of eighty-one hips with slipped upper femoral epiphysis in sixty-three patients is reviewed. 2. The importance of early diagnosis is emphasised. 3. Conservative treatment is condemned. 4. In attempting reduction violent manipulation and strong traction must be avoided. 5. In cases of slight displacement pinning in the position of displacement gives the best results. 6. Three or four small pins are recommended for fixation. 7. When the amount of slip is 50 per cent or more of the diameter of the head gentle manipulation should be tried and, if successful, followed by fixation with three or four pins. 8. The hip with an irreducible slip of 50 per cent or more should be treated by pertrochanteric or subtrochanteric osteotomy.
1. One hundred and seventy-three hips in 138 patients have been examined and studied in reference to the type of treatment received. 2. Shepherd's method of assessing the results of arthroplasty operations has been adapted to this series. 3. Satisfactory results were found in 77·9 per cent of all patients. 4. The value of straight longitudinal traction is questioned. Medial rotation appears to be an essential step in the reduction of the deformity. 5. Manipulation was found to be a relatively safe and effective method of reducing the deformity in patients seen soon after an acute episode, and should be reserved for them. 6. Complications were common after nailing operations, and included subtrochanteric fracture in three cases. 7. Avascular necrosis was the commonest cause of a poor result. The two types of avascular necrosis are discussed. 8. Avascular necrosis was found in 37 per cent of cases in which a manipulation was followed by a nailing operation. 9. Avascular necrosis was not found in any case in which a manipulation was combined with the use of Moore's pins, but such cases were kept under observation for a shorter time. 10. Avascular necrosis was found in 38·1 per cent of cases of cervical osteotomy.
Fixation by a single screw is considered the current treatment of choice for a slipped capital femoral epiphysis. This approach promotes premature physeal closure. The use of a modified, standard, single, cannulated screw designed to maintain epiphyseal fixation without causing premature closure of the physis was reviewed in ten patients. The nine boys and one girl aged between 10.6 and 12.6 years with unilateral slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE), were markedly skeletally immature (Tanner stage I, bone age 10 to 12.6 years). Clinical and radiological review at a mean follow-up of 44.3 months (36 to 76) showed no difference in the time to physeal closure between the involved and uninvolved side. Measurement of epiphyseal and physeal development showed continued growth and remodelling in all patients. Use of this device provided epiphyseal stability and maintained the capacity for physeal recovery and growth following treatment for both unstable and stable slipped capital femoral epiphysis.
Evidence is presented to support the contention that after slipping of the upper femoral epiphysis there is a potential for the bony epiphysis to grow back to its pre-slipped position. A suggestion is made as to how this recovery may occur.
The pathogenesis of slipped upper femoral epiphysis is unknown but the condition has been linked with various endocrine disorders. Nine patients with slipped epiphyses in association with primary juvenile hypothyroidism are presented. In all patients, slipping occurred or symptoms developed in the affected hip before the hypothyroidism was diagnosed. A generalised pathology was suggested by the absence of trauma (8 patients), by bilateral slipping (6 patients), and by obesity and short stature in all patients. All cases had delayed skeletal maturation and characteristic metaphysial changes were seen on their radiographs. The clinical diagnosis of juvenile hypothyroidism can be difficult but it merits consideration in patients who have a slipped upper femoral epiphysis in association with short stature, obesity, delay in skeletal maturity, or any one of these.
1. The results of thirty-five acutely slipped upper femoral epiphyses, treated from 1950 to 1969, are presented. Avascular necrosis of the femoral head occurred in five cases. 2. Skin traction with medial rotation, followed in three to four days by internal fixation, without further manipulation, is recommended so that this iatrogenic complication may be avoided.
This series, albeit consecutive and unselected, is very small; conclusions must therefore be tentative. The results do however suggest that the dangers of late manipulative reduction properly performed may have been exaggerated. Attempted without undue force it proved a harmless procedure, often successful even in cases of long duration. When it succeeds, the results in slips of unacceptable degree are at least as good as those following the more major surgical procedures, which can thus be avoided. Even when the displacement is minor its correction should on theoretical grounds at least decrease the prospects of later osteoarthritis. The only absolute contra-indication is a fused epiphysial plate. The degree of slip and above all the duration of symptoms should not preclude an attempt at manipulative reduction.
Several authors have reported complications from screw removal after treatment of slipped upper femoral epiphysis by single screw fixation, and have attributed these to poor screw design. We have developed a simple and reliable method of screw removal which uses a cannulated 8.0 mm end-threaded cancellous screw (Smith &
Nephew Richards Medical, Memphis, Tennessee) and a specially designed cannulated trephine. The method has been successful, with minimal complications, and a limited surgical exposure.
In an unselected series of 55 cases of slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) we observed an incidence of 25% of epiphyseal reduction, mostly unintentional. Reduction indicated physeal instability and was associated with an effusion, detected by sonography on admission, and inability to bear weight. The true prevalence of instability may be higher since an effusion was noted in 33 cases (60%) on the initial sonographic assessment. Serial radiographs showed reduction in 12 (22%), with an average change of 15.1 degrees in the head-neck angle. Serial sonography showed reduction in 7 out of 20 cases (35%), with an average change of 3.7 mm in displacement. In two cases reduction was seen on sonography but not on radiography. Of the hips which showed subsequent reduction, 12 had had a bone scan on admission; three showed initial epiphyseal avascularity but only one progressed to symptomatic avascular necrosis. All stable hips had normal epiphyseal vascularity on the initial bone scan. This indicates the importance of injury from the initial displacement in causing avascular necrosis, rather than effusion, vascular compromise or iatrogenic injury from gentle repositioning. Physeal instability in SCFE is common and should be assessed clinically on admission. It is indicated by joint effusion or inability to bear weight. A slip is very unlikely to be unstable in a child able to bear weight and with no sonographic effusion.
We reviewed the long-term results of the treatment of slipped upper femoral epiphysis (SUFE) using realignment procedures in 36 patients (37 hips) at an average follow-up of 33.8 years (26 to 42). There were serious short-term complications in seven of the 22 hips treated by subcapital osteotomy, three of the 11 hips treated by intertrochanteric osteotomy and three of the four hips treated by manipulative reduction. At re-examination, the clinical and radiological results were excellent or good in 41% of the hips treated by subcapital osteotomy, in 36% treated by intertrochanteric osteotomy and in none treated by manipulative reduction. In all, seven hips (19%) had had arthrodesis or total hip replacement. The natural history of SUFE was probably not improved by any of the treatments used in our study. We therefore discourage the use of subcapital and intertrochanteric osteotomy as well as manipulative reduction in the primary treatment of chronic SUFE.
1. A case is reported of a girl aged fifteen with growth hormone deficiency who developed a slip of the left femoral capital epiphysis at the age of seventeen during human growth hormone therapy. 2. The epiphysiolysis is regarded as iatrogenic.
We aimed to assess the cumulative risk of total hip arthroplasty (THA) from in situ fixation for slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) after a follow-up of almost 50 years. In this study, 138 patients with 172 affected hips treated with in situ fixation were evaluated retrospectively. A total of 97 patients (70%) were male and the mean age was 13.6 years (SD 2.1); 35 patients (25%) had a bilateral disease. The median follow-up time was 49 years (interquartile range 43 to 55). Basic demographic, stability, and surgical details were obtained from patient records. Preoperative radiographs (slip angle; SA) were measured, and data on THA was gathered from the Finnish National Arthroplasty Register.Aims
Methods
A. R. Nguyen, J. Ling, B. Gomes, G. Antoniou, L. M. Sutherland, P. J. Cundy.
The aim of this study was to inform the epidemiology and treatment of slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE). This was an anonymized comprehensive cohort study, with a nested consented cohort, following the the Idea, Development, Exploration, Assessment, Long-term study (IDEAL) framework. A total of 143 of 144 hospitals treating SCFE in Great Britain participated over an 18-month period. Patients were cross-checked against national administrative data and potential missing patients were identified. Clinician-reported outcomes were collected until two years. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) were collected for a subset of participants.Aims
Methods
Highly cross-linked polyethylene (HXLPE) has greatly improved the durability of total hip arthroplasty (THA) in young patients because of its improved wear characteristics. Few studies have followed this population into the second decade, and therefore the purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the clinical outcome for THA patients 50 years of age and younger at a minimum of 15 years postoperatively. The second purpose was to evaluate the radiological findings secondary to wear or mechanical failure of the implant. Between October 1999 and December 2005, 105 THAs were performed in 95 patients (53 female, 42 male) aged 50 years and younger (mean 42 years (20 to 50)). There were 87 patients (96 hips) that were followed for a minimum of 15 years (mean 17.3 years (15 to 21)) for analysis. Posterior approach was used with cementless fixation with a median head size of 28 mm. HXLPE was the acetabular bearing for all hips. Radiographs were evaluated for polyethylene wear, radiolucent lines, and osteolysis.Aims
Methods
The aims of this study were to evaluate the abductor function in moderate and severe slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE), comparing the results of a corrective osteotomy at the base of the femoral neck and osteoplasty with 1) A total of 24 patients (mean age 14.9 years (Aims
Patients and Methods
High-quality clinical research in children’s orthopaedic surgery
has lagged behind other surgical subspecialties. This study used
a consensus-based approach to identify research priorities for clinical
trials in children’s orthopaedics. A modified Delphi technique was used, which involved an initial
scoping survey, a two-round Delphi process and an expert panel formed
of members of the British Society of Children’s Orthopaedic Surgery.
The survey was conducted amongst orthopaedic surgeons treating children
in the United Kingdom and Ireland.Aims
Methods
This study presents the long-term survivorship, risk factors for prosthesis survival, and an assessment of the long-term effects of changes in surgical technique in a large series of patients treated by metal-on-metal (MoM) hip resurfacing arthroplasty (HRA). Between November 1996 and January 2012, 1074 patients (1321 hips) underwent HRA using the Conserve Plus Hip Resurfacing System. There were 787 men (73%) and 287 women (27%) with a mean age of 51 years (14 to 83). The underlying pathology was osteoarthritis (OA) in 1003 (75.9%), developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) in 136 (10.3%), avascular necrosis in 98 (7.4%), and other conditions, including inflammatory arthritis, in 84 (6.4%).Aims
Patients and Methods
This study aimed to evaluate implant survival of reverse hybrid
total hip arthroplasty (THA) at medium-term follow-up. A consecutive series of 1082 THAs in 982 patients with mean follow-up
of 7.9 years (5 to 11.3) is presented. Mean age was 69.2 years (21
to 94). Of these, 194 (17.9%) were in patients under 60 years, 663
(61.3%) in female patients and 348 (32.2%) performed by a trainee.
Head size was 28 mm in 953 hips (88.1%) or 32 mm in 129 hips (11.9%).
Survival analysis was performed and subgroups compared using log
rank tests.Aims
Patients and Methods
Preserving growth following limb-salvage surgery of the upper
limb in children remains a challenge. Vascularized autografts may
provide rapid biological incorporation with the potential for growth
and longevity. In this study, we aimed to describe the outcomes
following proximal humeral reconstruction with a vascularized fibular
epiphyseal transfer in children with a primary sarcoma of bone.
We also aimed to quantify the hypertrophy of the graft and the annual
growth, and to determine the functional outcomes of the neoglenofibular
joint. We retrospectively analyzed 11 patients who underwent this procedure
for a primary bone tumour of the proximal humerus between 2004 and
2015. Six had Ewing’s sarcoma and five had osteosarcoma. Their mean
age at the time of surgery was five years (two to eight). The mean
follow-up was 5.2 years (1 to 12.2).Aims
Patients and Methods
The number of patients undergoing arthroscopic surgery of the
hip has increased significantly during the past decade. It has now
become an established technique for the treatment of many intra-
and extra-articular conditions affecting the hip. However, it has
a steep learning curve and is not without the risk of complications.
The purpose of this systematic review was to determine the prevalence
of complications during and following this procedure. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
guidelines were used in designing this study. Two reviewers systematically
searched the literature for complications related to arthroscopy
of the hip. The research question and eligibility criteria were
established Aims
Materials and Methods
We undertook a retrospective comparative study
of all patients with an unstable slipped capital femoral epiphysis presenting
to a single centre between 1998 and 2011. There were 45 patients
(46 hips; mean age 12.6 years; 9 to 14); 16 hips underwent intracapsular
cuneiform osteotomy and 30 underwent pinning Pinning Non-emergency intracapsular osteotomy may have a protective effect
on the epiphyseal vasculature and should be undertaken with a delay
of at least two weeks. The place of emergency pinning Cite this article:
We carried out a further study of the long-term results of the
cemented Exeter femoral component in patients under the age of 40
with a mean follow-up of 13.6 years (10 to 20). We reviewed our original cohort of 104 cemented Exeter stems
in 78 consecutive patients with a mean age of 31 years (16 to 39).
Only one patient was lost to radiological follow-up.Aims
Patients and Methods
Obesity is thought to be an aetiological factor for slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE). We analysed changes in the incidence of SCFE in Scotland over the last two decades. During this period rates of childhood obesity have risen substantially and evidence for a relationship between these changes and the incidence of SCFE was sought. We found that the incidence of SCFE increased from 3.78 per 100 000 children in 1981 to 9.66 per 100 000 in 2000 (R2 = 0.715): a two and a half times increase over two decades. It was seen at a younger age, with a fall in the mean age at diagnosis from 13.4 to 12.6 years for boys (p = 0.007) and 12.2 to 11.6 for girls (p = 0.047). More children under eight years old were seen with SCFE in Scotland in the decade to 2000 than in the previous decade (p = 0.002, R2 = 0.346). A close correlation was observed between rising childhood obesity over the last 20 years in Scotland and an increasing incidence of SCFE.
Revision total hip replacement (THR) for young
patients is challenging because of technical complexity and the potential
need for subsequent further revisions. We have assessed the survivorship,
functional outcome and complications of this procedure in patients
aged <
50 years through a large longitudinal series with consistent treatment
algorithms. Of 132 consecutive patients (181 hips) who underwent
revision THR, 102 patients (151 hips) with a mean age of 43 years
(22 to 50) were reviewed at a mean follow-up of 11 years (2 to 26)
post-operatively. We attempted to restore bone stock with allograft
where indicated. Using further revision for any reason as an end point,
the survival of the acetabular component was 71% ( This overall perspective on the mid- to long-term results is
valuable when advising young patients on the prospects of revision
surgery at the time of primary replacement. Cite this article:
The aim of this study was to determine whether
an osteoplasty of the femoral neck performed at the same time as an
intertrochanteric Imhäuser osteotomy led to an improved functional
outcome or increased morbidity. A total of 20 hips in 19 patients
(12 left, 8 right, 13 male, 6 female), who underwent an Imhäuser
intertrochanteric osteotomy following a slipped capital femoral
epiphysis were assessed over an eight-year period. A total of 13
hips in 13 patients had an osteoplasty of the femoral neck at the
same time. The remaining six patients (seven hips) had intertrochanteric
osteotomy alone. The mean age was 15.3 years (13 to 20) with a mean
follow-up of 57.8 months (15 to 117); 19 of the slips were severe
(Southwick grade III) and one was moderate (grade II), with a mean
slip angle of 65.3° (50° to 80°); 17 of the slips were stable and
three unstable at initial presentation. The mean Non-Arthritic Hip Scores
(NAHS) in patients who underwent osteoplasty was 91.7 (76.3 to 100)
and the mean NAHS in patients who did not undergo osteoplasty was
76.6 (41.3 to 100) (p = 0.056). Two patients required a subsequent
arthroplasty and neither of these patients had an osteoplasty. No
hips developed osteonecrosis or chondrolysis, and there was no increase
in complications related to the osteoplasty. We recommend that for
patients with a slipped upper femoral epiphysis undergoing an intertrochanteric
osteotomy, the addition of an osteoplasty of the femoral neck should
be considered. Cite this article:
We carried out a retrospective review over ten months of patients who had presented with a low-energy subtrochanteric fracture. We identified 13 women of whom nine were on long-term alendronate therapy and four were not. The patients treated with alendronate were younger, with a mean age of 66.9 years (55 to 82) Our study suggests that prolonged suppression of bone remodelling with alendronate may be associated with a new form of insufficiency fracture of the femur. We believe that this finding is important and indicates the need for caution in the long-term use of alendronate in the treatment of osteoporosis.
Although much has been published on the causes of slipped upper femoral epiphysis and the results of treatment, little attention has been given to the mechanism of the slip. This study presents the results of the analysis of 13 adolescent femora, and the attempts to reproduce the radiological appearances of a typical slip. The mean age of the skeletons was 13 years (11 to 15). It was found that the internal bony architecture in the zone of the growth plate was such that a slip of the epiphysis on the metaphysis (in the normal meaning of the word slip) could not take place, largely relating to the presence of a tubercle of bone projecting down from the epiphysis. The only way that the appearance of a typical slipped upper femoral epiphysis could be reproduced was by rotating the epiphysis posteromedially on the metaphysis. The presence and size of this peg-like tubercle was shown radiologically by CT scanning in one pair of intact adolescent femurs.
We report a 12- to 15-year implant survival assessment
of a prospective single-surgeon series of Birmingham Hip Resurfacings
(BHRs). The earliest 1000 consecutive BHRs including 288 women (335
hips) and 598 men (665 hips) of all ages and diagnoses with no exclusions
were prospectively followed-up with postal questionnaires, of whom
the first 402 BHRs (350 patients) also had clinical and radiological
review. Mean follow-up was 13.7 years (12.3 to 15.3). In total, 59 patients
(68 hips) died 0.7 to 12.6 years following surgery from unrelated
causes. There were 38 revisions, 0.1 to 13.9 years (median 8.7)
following operation, including 17 femoral failures (1.7%) and seven
each of infections, soft-tissue reactions and other causes. With
revision for any reason as the end-point Kaplan–Meier survival analysis
showed 97.4% (95% confidence interval (CI) 96.9 to 97.9) and 95.8%
(95% CI 95.1 to 96.5) survival at ten and 15 years, respectively.
Radiological assessment showed 11 (3.5%) femoral and 13 (4.1%) acetabular
radiolucencies which were not deemed failures and one radiological
femoral failure (0.3%). Our study shows that the performance of the BHR continues to
be good at 12- to 15-year follow-up. Men have better implant survival
(98.0%; 95% CI 97.4 to 98.6) at 15 years than women (91.5%; 95%
CI 89.8 to 93.2), and women <
60 years (90.5%; 95% CI 88.3 to
92.7) fare worse than others. Hip dysplasia and osteonecrosis are
risk factors for failure. Patients under 50 years with osteoarthritis
fare best (99.4%; 95% CI 98.8 to 100 survival at 15 years), with
no failures in men in this group. Cite this article:
We compared the accuracy of the growth remaining
method of assessing leg-length discrepancy (LLD) with the straight-line
graph method, the multiplier method and their variants. We retrospectively
reviewed the records of 44 patients treated by percutaneous epiphysiodesis
for LLD. All were followed up until maturity. We used the modified Green–Anderson
growth-remaining method (Method 1) to plan the timing of epiphysiodesis.
Then we presumed that the other four methods described below were
used pre-operatively for calculating the timing of epiphysiodesis. We
then assumed that these four methods were used pre-operatively.
Method 2 was the original Green–Anderson growth-remaining method;
Method 3, Paley’s multiplier method using bone age; Method 4, Paley’s
multiplier method using chronological age; and Method 5, Moseley’s
straight-line graph method. We compared ‘Expected LLD at maturity
with surgery’ with ‘Final LLD at maturity with surgery’ for each
method. Statistical analysis revealed that ‘Expected LLD at maturity
with surgery’ was significantly different from ‘Final LLD at maturity
with surgery’. Method 2 was the most accurate. There was a significant
correlation between ‘Expected LLD at maturity with surgery’ and
‘Final LLD at maturity with surgery’, the greatest correlation being
with Method 2. Generally all the methods generated an overcorrected
value. No method generates the precise ‘Expected LLD at maturity
with surgery’. It is essential that an analysis of the pattern of
growth is taken into account when predicting final LLD. As many
additional data as possible are required. Cite this article:
The aim of this prospective randomised study
was to compare the clinical and radiological results of a cemented
all-polyethylene Ultima acetabular component with those of a cementless
porous-coated acetabular component (PFC) following total hip replacement
(THR). A total of 287 patients received either a polyethylene acetabular
component (group A) or a cobalt–chromium porous-coated component
(group B) with an identical cemented femoral component and 28 mm
cobalt-chromium head, thus making it the largest study of its type.
Patients were evaluated radiologically and clinically using the
Harris hip score (HHS). Group A comprised 183 patients (73 male,
110 female) with a mean age of
71.3 years (55 to 89). Group B comprised 104 patients (48 male,
56 female) with a mean age of 69.8 years (56 to 89). A total of
16 patients (13 in Group A, three in Group B) did not have post-operative
data for analysis. The mean follow-up in group A was 7.52 years
(0.4 to 15.0) and in Group B 7.87 years (0.5 to 14.0). At final follow-up the mean HHS was similar between groups A
and B (74.5 (25 to 100) and 78.0 (37 to 100), respectively; p =
0.068). The total number of revisions for any cause was 28, 17 of
which were in group A and 11 in group B. The ten-year survivorship
was 86.8% (95% confidence interval (CI) 78.4 to 92.1) and 89.2%
(95% CI 78.3 to 94.8) for groups A and B, respectively (log-rank
p-value = 0.938). A total of 20 cemented and two cementless acetabular
components had evidence of acetabular radiolucencies or acetabular
component migration at last follow-up (p = 0.001). These results indicate that patients with a cemented all-polyethylene
and cementless porous-coated polyethylene lined acetabular component
have similar long-term clinical outcomes.
We present our experience of the modified Dunn
procedure in combination with a Ganz surgical dislocation of the hip
to treat patients with severe slipped capital femoral epiphysis
(SCFE). The aim was to prospectively investigate whether this technique
is safe and reproducible. We assessed the degree of reduction, functional
outcome, rate of complications, radiological changes and range of
movement in the hip. There were 28 patients with a mean follow-up
of 38.6 months (24 to 84). The lateral slip angle was corrected
by a mean of 50.9° (95% confidence interval 44.3 to 57.5). The mean
modified Harris hip score at the final follow-up was 89.1 ( Cite this article:
The reported prevalence of an asymptomatic slip
of the contralateral hip in patients operated on for unilateral slipped
capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) is as high as 40%. Based on a population-based
cohort of 2072 healthy adolescents (58% women) we report on radiological
and clinical findings suggestive of a possible previous SCFE. Common
threshold values for Southwick’s lateral head–shaft angle (≥ 13°)
and Murray’s tilt index (≥ 1.35) were used. New reference intervals
for these measurements at skeletal maturity are also presented. At follow-up the mean age of the patients was 18.6 years (17.2
to 20.1). All answered two questionnaires, had a clinical examination
and two hip radiographs. There was an association between a high head–shaft angle and
clinical findings associated with SCFE, such as reduced internal
rotation and increased external rotation. Also, 6.6% of the cohort
had Southwick’s lateral head–shaft angle ≥ 13°, suggestive of a
possible slip. Murray’s tilt index ≥ 1.35 was demonstrated in 13.1%
of the cohort, predominantly in men, in whom this finding was associated
with other radiological findings such as pistol-grip deformity or
focal prominence of the femoral neck, but no clinical findings suggestive
of SCFE. This study indicates that 6.6% of young adults have radiological
findings consistent with a prior SCFE, which seems to be more common
than previously reported. Cite this article:
Hip arthroscopy is particularly attractive in
children as it confers advantages over arthrotomy or open surgery,
such as shorter recovery time and earlier return to activity. Developments
in surgical technique and arthroscopic instrumentation have enabled
extension of arthroscopy of the hip to this age group. Potential
challenges in paediatric and adolescent hip arthroscopy include
variability in size, normal developmental change from childhood to
adolescence, and conditions specific to children and adolescents
and their various consequences. Treatable disorders include the
sequelae of traumatic and sports-related hip joint injuries, Legg–Calve–Perthes’
disease and slipped capital femoral epiphysis, and the arthritic
and septic hip. Intra-articular abnormalities are rarely isolated and
are often associated with underlying morphological changes. This review presents the current concepts of hip arthroscopy
in the paediatric and adolescent patient, covering clinical assessment
and investigation, indications and results of the experience to
date, as well as technical challenges and future directions.
It is probable that both genetic and environmental
factors play some part in the aetiology of most cases of degenerative
hip disease. Geneticists have identified some single gene disorders
of the hip, but have had difficulty in identifying the genetics
of many of the common causes of degenerative hip disease. The heterogeneity
of the phenotypes studied is part of the problem. A detailed classification
of phenotypes is proposed. This study is based on careful documentation
of 2003 consecutive total hip replacements performed by a single
surgeon between 1972 and 2000. The concept that developmental problems
may initiate degenerative hip disease is supported. The influences
of gender, age and body mass index are outlined. Biomechanical explanations
for some of the radiological appearances encountered are suggested.
The body weight lever, which is larger than the abductor lever, causes
the abductor power to be more important than body weight. The possibility
that a deficiency in joint lubrication is a cause of degenerative
hip disease is discussed. Identifying the phenotypes may help geneticists
to identify genes responsible for degenerative hip disease, and
eventually lead to a definitive classification.
In 2004 we described the ten-year prospective results of 38 total hip replacements using the Furlong hydroxyapatite-ceramic-coated femoral component in 35 patients <
50 years old. We have now reviewed the surviving 35 arthroplasties in 33 patients at a mean of 16 years (10.3 to 19.9). The mean age of the surviving patients at the time of operation was 41.3 years (26.0 to 49.0). Of these, eight have undergone revision of their acetabular component for aseptic loosening. None of the femoral components has had revision for aseptic loosening giving a survival rate of 100% at 16 years (95% confidence interval 89% to 100%). The Furlong hydroxyapatite-ceramic-coated femoral component gives excellent long-term survival in young and active patients.
We have evaluated the in vivo migration patterns of 164 primary consecutive Charnley-Kerboull total hip replacements which were undertaken in 155 patients. The femoral preparation included removal of diaphyseal cancellous bone to obtain primary rotational stability of the stem before line-to-line cementing. We used the Ein Bild Roentgen Analyse femoral component method to assess the subsidence of the femoral component. At a mean of 17.3 years (15.1 to 18.3) 73 patients were still alive and had not been revised, eight had been revised, 66 had died and eight had been lost to follow-up. The mean subsidence of the entire series was 0.63 mm (0.0 to 1.94). When using a 1.5 mm threshold, only four stems were considered to have subsided. Our study showed that, in most cases, a highly polished double-tapered stem cemented line-to-line does not subside at least up to 18 years after implantation.
The original forged Müller straight stem (CoNiCr) has shown excellent ten- to 15-year results. We undertook a long-term survival analysis with special emphasis on radiological changes within a 20-year period of follow-up. In all, 165 primary total hip replacements, undertaken between July 1984 and June 1987 were followed prospectively. Clinical follow-up included a standardised clinical examination, and radiological assessment was based on a standardised anteroposterior radiograph of the pelvis, which was studied for the presence of osteolysis, debonding and cortical atrophy. Survival of the stem with revision for any reason was 81% (95% confidence interval (CI), 76 to 86) at 20 years and for aseptic loosening 87% (95% CI, 82 to 90). At the 20-year follow-up, 15 of the surviving 36 stems showed no radiological changes. Debonding (p = 0.005), osteolysis (p = 0.003) and linear polyethylene wear (p = 0.016) were associated with aseptic loosening, whereas cortical atrophy was not associated with failure (p = 0.008). The 20-year results of the Müller straight stem are comparable to those of other successful cemented systems with similar follow-up. Radiological changes are frequently observed, but with a low incidence of progression, and rarely result in revision. Cortical atrophy appears to be an effect of ageing and not a sign of loosening of the femoral component.
Between July 1994 and June 2004, 60 patients with 76 slipped upper femoral epiphyses were managed within the adult trauma service of three hospitals. Treatment was by a single cannulated screw. Of these cases, 53 were unilateral, in 17 of which uncomplicated prophylactic fixation of the contralateral hip was performed. Of the other 36 cases, nine presented with a subsequent slip despite ongoing out-patient care. The subsequent slip was unpredictable in timing and unrelated to the age at the initial slip. It was more often unstable and in one case avascular necrosis developed. The overall rate of avascular necrosis, although in accordance with the literature, was 60% in acute unstable slips with a slip angle greater than 40°. In our experience, prophylactic fixation was safer than continued observation of the contralateral hip.
We have reviewed 70 Harris-Galante uncemented acetabular components implanted as hybrid hip replacements with cemented stems between 1991 and 1995 in 53 patients whose mean age was 40 years (19 to 49). The mean follow-up was for 13.6 years (12 to 16) with no loss to follow-up. We assessed the patients both clinically and radiologically. The mean Oxford hip score was 20 (12 to 46) and the mean Harris hip score 81 (37 to 100) at the final review. Radiologically, 27 hips (39%) had femoral osteolysis, 13 (19%) acetabular osteolysis, and 31 (44%) radiolucent lines around the acetabular component. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were constructed for the outcomes of revision of the acetabular component, revision of the component and polyethylene liner, and impending revision for progressive osteolysis. The cumulative survival for revision of the acetabular component was 94% (95% confidence interval 88.4 to 99.7), for the component and liner 84% (95% confidence interval 74.5 to 93.5) and for impending revision 55.3% (95% confidence interval 40.6 to 70) at 16 years. Uncemented acetabular components with polyethylene liners undergo silent lysis and merit regular long-term radiological review.