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The technique of and especially the approach to open reduction of developmental dislocation of the hip are still a matter of discussion. The anterior approach, first lateral and then medial to the iliopsoas muscle, was described by Tonnis in 1978. A follow-up investigation to adulthood has now been performed. Eighty-seven children (118 hips) out of 105 children (83%) who underwent open reduction of developmental dislocation of the hip before the age of 4 years were reinvestigated 10-21 years after the operation. An anterior approach first lateral, then medial to the iliopsoas muscle was chosen, because this offers the best access to the joint. Additional operations including transiliac osteotomy for acetabuloplasty, shortening osteotomy, and femoral osteotomies were performed as necessary. In 92 (78%) of the 118 hips studied the CE angle exceeded 25 degrees and in 98 hips (83%) the VCA angle exceeded 25 degrees. Critical CE angles between 20 and 25 degrees were found in 14% of the hips, and critical VCA angles in 4%. Residual dysplasia (<20 degrees) was found in 8 and 13% of the hips, respectively. Avascular necrosis according to Hirohashi was observed after operation in grade 1 in 5.9% and grade 2 in 1.7%. No necrosis was found following shortening osteotomy of the proximal femur. The anterior approach, first lateral, then medial to the iliopsoas muscle, offers an optimal access to the medial parts of the joint with control of reduction, protects the vasculature of the femoral neck, and allows simultaneous postero-lateral capsulorrhaphy and pelvic osteotomies.

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The management of severe slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) is still controversial, because of a lack of long-term follow-up studies. Thirty-five patients (39 hips) with severe slipped capital femoral epiphysis, treated by corrective intertrochanteric Imhäuser osteotomy, were clinically and radiographically reexamined. The average age at the operation was 13.7 years (range, 8-17 years) and the reexamination was at an average of 23.4 years (range, 19-27 years) after the operation. At reexamination, 77% of patients were rated good to excellent clinically and 67% had good or excellent radiological results by the Southwick classification. Three patients had severe degenerative arthritic changes, and two patients developed avascular necrosis. We conclude that the Imhäuser osteotomy should be performed in severe deformities (>40 degrees gliding angle) associated with poor function. Because other studies show good long-term results after in situ pinning only, the indication for Imhauser osteotomy should be made carefully depending on clinical and radiological findings.

Joint-preserving osteotomies are an established treatment for adult hip pain secondary to developmental dysplasia of the hip. However, their value for advanced osteoarthritis is unclear. Therefore this study addresses the question of long-term results of triple pelvic osteotomy in patients with second grade osteoarthritis. Thirty-two patients with second grade osteoarthritis secondary to developmental dysplasia of the hip before triple pelvic osteotomy were clinically and radiographically assessed 11.5 years postoperatively. Five patients required conversion to total hip replacement. Kaplan-Meier survivorship analysis predicted a survival rate of 85.3%. The mean Harris hip score increased significantly with more than 56% good or very good results. A preoperative BMI > 25 and Harris hip score < 70 resulted in worse outcome or early conversion into total hip arthroplasty. The results indicate that developmental dysplasia of the hip even in second grade osteoarthritis can be treated with triple pelvic osteotomy.