Trochanteroplasty in the treatment of infantile septic arthritis of the hip.

The aim of the present contribution is to explore the possible surgical solution of the problem of dislocation of the hip secondary to infantile septic arthritis, particularly in the form in which the femoral head is totally destroyed. The operation of trochanteroplasty is based on transposing the intact epiphysis of the great trochanter to act as a new femoral head and subsequently restoring the correct anatomical alignment by a trochanteric adduction osteotomy. Sixteen cases so treated over the 11 year period from 1969 to 1980 are reported.