Proximal femoral osteotomy using the AO fixed-angle blade plate.

We describe the technique and results of proximal femoral osteotomy performed with the AO fixed-angle blade plate in 157 hips of 101 pediatric patients. Postoperative immobilization or restriction of activity was not prescribed. Fourteen complications occurred in 11 patients. Use of preoperative antibiotics decreased the rate of infection from 12% to 0%, which was significant. All osteotomies healed by 16 weeks postoperatively with no nonunions, malunions, device failures, or avascular necrosis. Using no postoperative immobilization in these children was successful and resulted in few complications when the appropriate-sized blade plate was used.