Outcome After Combined Pelvic and Femoral Osteotomies in Patients with Legg-Calvé-Perthes Disease.

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome at skeletal maturity of combined pelvic and femoral varus osteotomies in children with Legg-Calvé-Perthes (LCP) disease.

METHODS

From January 1998 to December 2009, 69 patients with LCP disease underwent combined osteotomies at our institution. Fifty-two children (19 girls and 33 boys) met the inclusion criteria and were enrolled in the study. The LCP disease was classified and the cases of all patients were reviewed at skeletal maturity. The mean age (and standard deviation) at the time of diagnosis was 6.9 ± 2.4 years, and the mean age at the time of surgery was 7.9 ± 2.3 years. The mean time to follow-up was 10.8 ± 3.5 years. The final follow-up radiographs were assessed according to the Stulberg classification and the sphericity deviation score.

RESULTS

The mean Harris hip score at the time of follow-up was 90 ± 13.2. According to the Harris hip score grading system, 37 patients (71%) had an excellent outcome; 8 patients (15%), a good result; 3 patients (6%), a fair result; and 4 patients (8%), a poor result. Seven patients (13%) were classified as having a Stulberg class-I hip; 20 (38%), a class-II hip; 15 (29%), a class-III hip; 6 (12%), a class-IV hip; and 4 (8%), a class-V hip. The mean sphericity deviation score was 24.4 ± 14.4 at skeletal maturity. There was a strong relationship between a younger age at diagnosis and better functional and radiographic outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

In the absence of a randomized study design, conclusions have to be drawn with caution. Combined pelvic and femoral osteotomies in these children with LCP disease did not result in better functional or radiographic outcomes compared with the historic results of Salter osteotomy or proximal femoral osteotomy alone.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.