Femoral Varus Osteotomy Research Articles

Advanced Containment Methods for Legg-Calvé-Perthes Disease

Although surgical containment has become a mainstay for the treatment of Legg-Calvé-Perthes (LCP) disease; traditional operations (varus osteotomy of femur, Salter osteotomy) have certain limitations, sometimes resulting in a prolonged limp or inadequate containment. This paper presents the surgical method and results of triple pelvic osteotomy for containment treatment of LCP disease. This retrospective review of 39 children (40 hips; age 5 to 13 y) with LCP disease treated with triple pelvic osteotomy (1995 to 2005) included preoperative lateral pillar assessment and other measurements. Final follow-up films (minimum 3 y, range 3 to 9 y) were assessed using the modified Stulberg classification. Clinical follow-up evaluation assessed limp, limb-length inequality, range of motion, and activity level. Twenty-one (53%) hips were graded as lateral pillar B and 19 (48%) were lateral pillar C. Four patients required further treatment before the final follow-up. At final follow-up, 42% had a good outcome (Stulberg I/II), 47% had a fair outcome (Stulberg III), and 11% had a poor outcome. Thus, 89% of patients had satisfactory (good or fair) results. There was a significant difference in outcome based on the preoperative lateral pillar, with B hips more likely to have a good outcome (65%) compared with lateral pillar C hips (12.5%) (P=0.002). There were no lateral pillar B patients with a poor outcome. Seventeen percent of the lateral pillar C patients more than or equal to age 8 had a poor outcome compared with 50% being more than age 8 with a poor outcome. Four patients (3 lateral pillar C, 1 lateral pillar B) required further surgery. Triple pelvic osteotomy resulted in maintenance of head shape in lateral pillar B patients of all ages and in younger lateral pillar C patients. Lateral pillar C patients over age 8 were more difficult to treat, however, we still advise containment for these cases because methods are now available to deal with containment failure. Triple pelvic osteotomy is an effective treatment method for LCP patients with lateral pillar B disease and younger patients with lateral pillar C disease. This method provides effective containment, which allows prolonged remodeling while avoiding the limitations of femoral varus osteotomy (limp, short limb) and Salter osteotomy (incomplete containment). Level IV.

Distal femoral varus osteotomy: problems associated with the lateral open-wedge technique

Varisation osteotomies on the distal femur are an established treatment method for valgus osteoarthritis of the knee in younger patients. Osteotomy can be done in a lateral open-wedge or medial closed-wedge manner. We retrospectively studied 14 patients treated by the lateral open-wedge technique, fixed with the Tomofix plate, with a mean duration of follow-up of 45 ± 3.4 months. We observed often delayed osteotomy healing after 3, 6 and 12 months, no secondary dislocations, and frequent troublesome irritation due to the plate being on the iliotibial band. However, outcome was satisfactory once the osteotomy healed and the plate was removed. Based on the often slow healing of the osteotomy and frequent irritation due to the plate, this procedure has been abandoned by the authors, and the medial closing-wedge osteotomy adopted as the alternative treatment.

Distal femoral varus osteotomy outcome: Is associated femoropatellar osteoarthritis consequential?

Distal femoral varus osteotomy (FVO) can be indicated for young active patients who have lateral unicompartmental osteoarthritis in a valgus knee originating in the femur. However, its indication remains controversial when associated patellofemoral osteoarthrosis is present. Associated patellofemoral osteoarthrosis influences the results of osteotomy in cases of lateral tibiofemoral osteoarthrosis. Twenty patients (22 knees) underwent opening wedge FVO for lateral tibiofemoral osteoarthrosis of a valgus knee. The osteoarthrosis was lateral and unicompartmental in 11 cases, associated with patellofemoral osteoarthrosis in nine cases, and global in two cases. The osteotomy site was fixed with a 95° blade plate in all cases. At a mean follow-up of 54months, all the patients were evaluated using the International Knee Society (IKS) score. Eighteen knees had good or excellent results (80%), two had fair results (9.5%), and two had poor results (9.5%). One female patient underwent total knee replacement revision at 8years and three others are awaiting total knee replacement. The mean preoperative IKS score increased from 49.28 (range, 14-70) to 74.23 (range, 41-92) at the last follow-up. The mean preoperative functional score increased from 50.68 (range, 30-80) to 72.85 (range, 40-90) at the last follow-up (p=0.001). The 8-year survival rate was 91% (confidence interval, 69-100%). We noted improvement in patellofemoral syndrome and recentering of the patella in seven cases out of nine with severe patellofemoral osteoarthrosis. Distal femoral varus osteotomy, with lateral opening wedge and fixation can be a good alternative to treatment of lateral tibiofemoral osteoarthritis associated with a valgus knee originating in the femur. The association of patellofemoral osteoarthritis does not affect the functional results. Level IV. Retrospective study.

Total Knee Arthroplasty After Failed Distal Femoral Varus Osteotomy Using Selectively Stemmed Posterior Stabilized Components

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of patients treated with total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for progression of arthritis after distal femoral varus osteotomy. Twenty-two consecutive distal femoral varus osteotomies converted to TKA were reviewed at a mean follow-up of 5 years (range, 2-14 years). Stemmed femoral or tibial components were used in 5 knees with poor bone quality, while the remaining 17 knees were treated with unstemmed components. The mean Knee Society knee and function scores in surviving knees were 91 points (range, 67-100 points) and 64 points (range, 50-70 points) respectively at final follow-up. Two patients underwent revision arthroplasty for polyethylene wear and component loosening at 8 and 11 years after the index arthroplasty, respectively. Standard components provide satisfactory stability in TKA after distal femoral varus osteotomy after appropriate ligamentous balancing, without the need for stemmed or highly constrained components in the majority of patients.

Complications Associated with the Bernese Periacetabular Osteotomy for Hip Dysplasia in Adolescents

The Bernese (Ganz) periacetabular osteotomy is an effective surgical procedure to reorient the acetabulum, allowing restoration of anatomic femoral head coverage and medial translation of the hip in adults with hip dysplasia. However, it is a challenging surgical procedure, and we know of no study that has specifically analyzed the complications and associated factors seen with this procedure in adolescent patients. A retrospective clinical and radiographic review of a consecutive series of adolescent patients who underwent a Bernese periacetabular osteotomy for hip dysplasia was conducted. Eighty-three osteotomies were performed in seventy-six patients with an average age (and standard deviation) of 15.6 +/- 2.4 years. Significant improvement from the preoperative to the two-year follow-up evaluation was seen radiographically with regard to the lateral center-edge angle (-0.14 degrees to 35.5 degrees), the ventral center-edge angle (-5.13 degrees to 31.3 degrees), and the femoral head extrusion index (38.4% to 7.7%) (p < 0.0001 for all). There were three major complications, including excessive arterial bleeding requiring embolization in a patient with a prior acetabuloplasty, osteonecrosis of the acetabular fragment in a patient with severe dysplasia and subluxation of the hip, and osteonecrosis of the femoral head following combined periacetabular and femoral osteotomies in a patient with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. Eighteen hips (22%) had minor complications, including nonunion of the superior pubic ramus osteotomy (five hips), a superficial stitch abscess (four), and transient lateral femoral cutaneous nerve palsy (four). Nine hips (11%) underwent removal of symptomatic screws, and two required a second operation to reposition the acetabular fragment. An underlying diagnosis other than developmental dysplasia increased the prevalence of minor complications (p = 0.0017), while a major complication was more likely with longer surgery time, greater blood loss, and proximal femoral osteotomy. The Bernese periacetabular osteotomy is a joint-preserving procedure that very effectively corrects acetabular dysplasia in adolescent patients, providing improved radiographic results and a low rate of complications. Although the rate of minor complications is increased when there is an underlying diagnosis other than developmental dysplasia, no other predictors were identified. However, a major complication is more likely with a longer duration of surgery and with a concomitant femoral varus osteotomy.

Varus Derotation Osteotomy for the Treatment of Hip Subluxation and Dislocation in GMFCS Level III to V Patients With Unilateral Hip Involvement. Follow-up at Skeletal Maturity

Hip displacement is common in children with cerebral palsy (CP). The risk of hip displacement is related to gross motor function level as graded with the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). Most clinicians agree that surgical treatment is indicated for progressive hip subluxation in patients with CP. However, it is unclear whether unilateral bony surgery and musculotenduous release is effective in cases in which the contralateral hip is well seated. The purpose of this study is to describe the fate of the original and the contralateral hip of severely involved patients with CP, GMFCS III to V, with unilateral hip subluxation or dislocation treated by unilateral femoral osteotomy with or without pelvic osteotomy along with unilateral or bilateral soft tissue release when the contralateral hip was well seated followed to skeletal maturity. A continuous group of GMFCS III to V CP patients with unilateral hip subluxation or dislocation who underwent soft tissue release (adductor and iliopsoas) and unilateral intertrochanteric varus, rotation and shortening osteotomy with or without pelvic osteotomy are included. All patients were clinically and radiologically followed from the time of presentation until skeletal maturity. Twenty-seven children and adolescents with GMFCS level III, IV, and V met the inclusion criteria. Two patients (7.4%) were GMFCS III, 5 (18.5%) were GMFCS IV and 20 (74.1%) GMFCS V. The male:female ratio was almost 1 (13 boys and 14 girls). At the time of chart and radiograph review, the average age of this patient group was 20.4 years (range: 14 to 25 y). Twelve patients (44%) required subsequent bony surgical management of the contralateral hip for subluxation or dislocation after the index procedure. Initially, in all cases there was pelvic obliquity with the operative side higher, which reversed in cases in which the contralateral hip deteriorated, and did not reverse when the contralateral hip remained stable. Nine of them were treated with femoral varus osteotomy alone and 3 underwent a combination of femoral and pelvic osteotomy. Three of these 12 (25%) patients had revision of the first hip and bony correction of the contralateral hip. Age at surgery did not seem to have a significant effect on maintaining reduction or in preventing the contralateral hip to deteriorate. The rates of recurrence of the original hip and contralateral hip subluxation and dislocation after unilateral bony surgery in GMFCS III to V spastic patients are higher than those of other earlier series. However, in this series patients were followed until skeletal maturity. It is prudent to warn families of the possibility of long-term subluxation or dislocation of the original hip and development of the hip dysplasia requiring surgery on the contralateral side. Consideration should be given to adductor and iliopsoas release and bony surgery on the contralateral side in a GMFCS level III to V child undergoing surgery for hip displacement, even when the hip seem radiologically normal. If unilateral bony surgery is carried out, close radiological follow-up of both hips is recommended. It also seems that unilateral hip surgery alters the forces maintaining pelvic alignment, which can lead to destabilization of the contralateral hip. Case series. Level IV.

Greater trochanteric preserving hip arthroplasty in the treatment of infantile septic arthritis: long-term results.

Balanced forces around the hip joint are critical for normal development of the hip joint, so it should be considered in every hip reconstructive procedure. In seven children with complete destruction of the femoral head and neck due to septic arthritis, a reconstructive hip surgery was done to reconstruct the femoral head without sacrificing the greater trochanter and its muscles completely. The technique consists of a modified greater trochanter arthroplasty with only a medial portion of the greater trochanter and a varus femoral osteotomy. The average age of the children at surgery was 17months (range 8-36months) and the patients were followed for an average of 16.6years (range 10.9-20.1years). The average number of second operative procedures for each patient was 2 (range 1-4). The follow-up evaluation for each patient included documentation of pain, hip range of motion, and assessment of gait. In addition, the current leg-length discrepancy, final coverage and stability of the hip joint were documented. At final evaluation, all patients had a pain-free stable hip and two patients had near-normal hip range of motion. All patients have had satisfactory surgery results. By this kind of hip reconstruction, we could provide a stable painless hip joint with special attention to the greater trochanter's role on hip biomechanics.

Lateral shelf acetabuloplasty in the treatment of Legg–Calvé–Perthes disease: Improving mid-term outcome in severely deformed hips

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of lateral shelf acetabuloplasty in Legg-Calvé-Perthes (LCP) hips classically associated with poor prognosis. A retrospective study was conducted on 30 consecutive pediatric patients (average age 8.6years) presenting with a severe and progressive form of LCP disease, with (16 hips) or without (14 hips) femoral varus osteotomy (FVO), and treated by lateral shelf acetabuloplasty. Shelf was done on hips presenting an aspherical incongruency with flattening, subluxation, and lack of femoral head coverage, as demonstrated on pre-operative radiographs and arthrography. All patients were reexamined at an average follow-up of 9.5years (range 5.2-12 years). Clinical, radiological, and computed tomography scan evaluations were undertaken. Stulberg and Mose classifications were applied as radiological indicators of prognosis. Statistical analysis was performed using Student's t test and the Pearson correlation test with variance analysis for repetitive measures. At the last follow-up, all patients were pain free and had normal or almost normal hip motion. Twenty-seven patients are now able to walk normally or with a slight limp. Eighteen hips are classified as Stulberg 1 or 2, and 18 hips are classified as Mose 1 or 2. The average neck-shaft angle is 127°. A statistically significant improvement in the majority of radiographic parameters was found. There was no statistically significant worsening of leg length discrepancy following the procedure. The scanographic study found neither offset nor migration of the shelf in any of the hips. The average coronal and anteroposterior length of the shelf was 9.9 and 25mm, respectively. A borderline positive correlation was found between Wiberg angle improvement and young age at the time of surgery. There was no statistically significant difference between hips that underwent shelf procedures alone and those in which it was combined with FVO. Lateral shelf acetabuloplasty improves the outcome of hips with severe LCP. The combined procedure insures a better and lasting coverage and remodeling of the femoral head, while preserving acetabular roof growth.

Osteotomy around the knee: state of the art and new challenges

Osteotomy around the knee: state of the art and new challenges

Risk of recurrent dislocation and avascular necrosis after proximal femoral varus osteotomy in children with cerebral palsy

A retrospective review was conducted on 50 children with cerebral palsy, having 89 femoral varus osteotomy at an average age of 7.4 years, trying to identify risk factors for complications, particularly redislocation and avascular necrosis. Among the well-reduced hips, new subluxation developed in 12 cases; postoperative radiographic measurements showed a mean neck-shaft angle of 135 degrees and an acetabular slope of 32 degrees . Main risk factors for secondary dislocation seem to be insufficient correction of preexisting valgus and uncorrected acetabular dysplasia. Avascular necrosis was observed in 33 hips (37%): 26 minor and seven severe. Older age at surgery and high preoperative Reimer's migration index seem statistically significant risk factors.

Experiences in total knee arthtroplasty after distal femoral varus osteotomy

Introduction: There is only little information available about total knee arthroplasty (TKA) following distal femoral varus osteotomy (DFVO). The aim of our study was to show our experiences and mid-term results of TKA after a previous DFVO. Material and method: In a retrospective study we identified 36 consecutive patients who had undergone TKA after a previous distal femoral varus osteotomy. The average duration of follow-up after the TKA was 8.2 years (min: 5.0, max: 9.2). X-rays were taken in 2 planes before TKA, 1 week after TKA and at latest follow-up. Tibiofemoral alignment was measured on weightbearing long-leg anteroposterior radiographs. Ra- diolucent lines at latest follow-up were documented. Functional evaluations were performed preoperatively and postoperatively (at the time of latest follow-up). Results: The mean Knee Society knee score in- creased from 42 points before the arthroplasty to 91.3 points after the arthroplasty. The mean Knee Society function score increased from 27.4 points preoperatively to 93.2 points postoperatively. The mean overall Knee Society score increased from 91.3 points preoperatively to 163.4 points postoperatively. The mean radiographic alignment was 4.5? of valgus (10? of varus to 19? of valgus) before TKA and 3.1? of valgus (range, 3? of varus to 6? of valgus) at the time of latest follow-up. Postoperative complications included one deep vein thrombosis with non-lethal pulmonary embolism, one wound infection requiring revision and one septic loosening. Discussion: It is possible to perform TKA following DFVO with good mid-term results. In comparison to the literature there is no higher risk of complications in TKA following DFVO in comparison to primary TKA.

Distal femoral varus osteotomy for lateral osteoarthritis of the knee: a minimum ten-year follow-up

Distal femoral varus osteotomy (DFVO) may be indicated for symptomatic lateral compartment gonarthrosis associated with valgus deformity in younger, active patients. Thirty-three consecutive DFVOs (31 patients) with a minimum follow-up of ten years (mean 15.1, range 10-25) were reviewed. Fifteen DFVOs were converted to total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and one DFVO was awaiting TKA, reaching an overall failure rate of 48.5% at a mean of 15.6 years (range 6-21.5). Of the remaining 17 DFVOs, ten (58.8%) had good or excellent results, two (11.8%) had fair results and five (29.4%) had poor results. Mean modified Knee Society scores improved significantly (p < 0.01) from 36.8 preoperatively to 77.5 at one year post DFVO. DFVO is a viable treatment alternative for lateral compartment gonarthrosis. Conversion to TKA is expected to be required in approximately half of the patients at a mean of 15.6 years.

Varus distal femoral osteotomy in young adults with valgus knee

BackgroundMusculoskeletal disorders specially knee osteoarthritis are the most common causes of morbidity in old patients. Disturbance of the mechanical axis of the lower extremity is one of the most important causes in progression of knee osteoarthritis. The purpose of the present study was to analyze the surgical results of distal femoral varus osteotomy in patients with genu valgum.MethodsIn this study, after recording history and physical examination, appropriate radiographs were taken. We did varus distal femoral osteotomy by standard medial subvastus approach and 90-angle blade plate fixation then followed the patients clinically and radiographically.ResultsThis study was done on 23 knees (16 patients) age 23.3 years (range, 17 to 41 years). The mean duration of following up was 16.3 months (range, 8 to 25 months). Based on paired T test, there were statistically significant difference between pre- and postoperative tibiofemoral and congruence angles (p < 0.001, t = 21.3 and p < 0.001, t = 10.1 respectively). Pearson correlation between the amount of tibiofemoral and congruence angle correction was also statistically significant (p = 0.02 and r = 0.46).ConclusionDistal femoral varus osteotomy with blade plate fixation can be a reliable procedure for the treatment of valgus knee deformity. In this procedure, with more tibiofemoral angle correction, more congruence angle correction can be achieved. Therefore, along with genu valgum correction, the patella should be stabilized simultaneously.

Genu Valgum in Legg-Calvé-Perthes Disease Treated with Femoral Varus Osteotomy

Femoral varus osteotomy is one of the most common treatments for patients with symptomatic Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease with more severe deformities. We hypothesized knee valgus alignment at maturity in patients with Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease is an effect of the disease and not an effect of femoral varus osteotomy. We retrospectively compared matched groups of 28 patients with and without femoral varus osteotomy. The two groups were similar with respect to age at onset and classification of Herring et al. The distribution of valgus alignment among patients who had surgery and patients who did not have surgery was assessed at maturity and was similar between the operative and nonoperative groups. The data suggest valgus malalignment (genu valgum) is not a side effect of femoral varus osteotomy in patients with Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease, but rather an effect of the disease. Level III, prognostic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Varus producing osteotomy for patients with lateral pillar type B and C Legg-Calve-Perthes disease followed to skeletal maturity. Castaneda et al. JCOR (2008), 2:373–379

Dear Editors, I read the paper by Castaneda et al. about LCP with great interest. In the paper’s introduction section, the authors state that “many of the concepts regarding the disease have not evolved in almost a century.” This is quite unfortunate indeed, and I fully agree with them. The study is well conducted, and the paper is well written. However, I would be less affirmative in stating that femoral varus osteotomy (FVO) achieves similar results to non-operative treatment in Herring B and C. Their findings may not necessarily support this conclusion. The fact that both treatments lead to almost similar results, even slightly worse in the surgically treated group, do not mean that one should observe severely involved Perthes hips and never take them to surgery, be it pelvic or femoral. Important clinical and radiological information is necessary to support their statement and is missing from their paper. Although classification according to Caterall and/or Herring certainly has a prognostic implication, other factors play a major role in determining outcome and are certainly used for decision making by a vast majority of pediatric orthopedic surgeons around the globe. The Iowa hip score and the Stulberg classification were used in this study to determine the outcome at final follow-up, but no information is given to the reader concerning preoperative clinical and radiological differences (other than the Herring classification) between both groups, mainly those related to hip motion, hinge abduction, and the severity of femoral head extrusion or subluxation. Severity of involvement should not only be decided based on the height of the lateral pillar, as we all know. Two hips classified as Herring C may behave completely differently and lead to different outcomes following operative or non-operative treatments. In fact, one could assume that cases where FVO was performed were clinically and radiographically initially more severe with obvious and progressive lack of containment compared to cases where non-operative management was decided upon and undertaken. From another angle, why did the physicians who chose to treat Herring C hips nonsurgically decide to do so, and why did those who operated on similar hips (based only on the classification) decide to do so? In my perspective, viewed from this angle, a similar outcome in both groups could rather be seen as being in favor of performing FVO in severely affected and subluxed hips, as it may improve the hip situation to a point where it becomes similar to those hips that do not need surgery. This is an issue that I was just discussing with some colleagues who had the same impression after reading the manuscript, and I wanted to share it with you and the authors. I am sure that they have conducted and worked out this study so well that the information I am asking for can be easily made available, maybe as a basic criteria for further studies and publications on such a mysterious and controversial disease. Once again, I would like to congratulate the authors for this long-term, well-conducted and well-written study, and I thank them in advance for their answer. Sincerely, Ismat Ghanem

Conservative versus surgical treatment of late-onset Legg-Calve-Perthes disease: A radiographic comparison at skeletal maturity

Late-onset Legg-Calve-Perthes disease (LCPD; i.e., disease onset after 8 years) has been associated with a more aggressive course and poorer long-term outcomes. The optimal treatment method of LCPD is still controversial, especially in this late-onset patient population. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the radiographic outcomes at the end of skeletal maturity in a cohort of patients with late-onset LCPD, comparing the results between conservative and surgical treatment. We performed a retrospective comparative study of all 371 patients with LCPD seen at a single institution during a 30-year period. Children younger than 9 years of age at disease onset, bilateral cases, and children that had not reached skeletal maturity at last follow-up were excluded. Clinical data was collected from chart review and radiographs were staged according to the Waldenstrom and Catterall classifications. Patients treated conservatively (adductor tenotomy, bracing and physical therapy, or physical therapy alone) were compared to those treated with more extensive surgery (varus femoral osteotomy or Chiari pelvic osteotomy [CPO]). Final radiographic outcomes were based on a modified Stulberg criteria. Forty-three patients with an average age of 10.8 years and a mean follow-up of 10 years were identified. Twenty-one children received conservative treatment (15 underwent adductor tenotomy, followed by abduction cast or brace and physical therapy; six had only physical therapy) and 22 underwent surgery (16 underwent femoral varus osteotomy and six had CPO). Based on the modified Stulberg criteria, there was no significant difference in radiographic outcome between the surgical and the conservative treatment groups, but there were twice as many patients with a poor result in the conservative group. Late-onset LCPD presents with an extensive head involvement and shorter disease course. While there was no statistical difference between surgical and conservative treatment, there was a trend toward better radiographic outcomes when varus derotational osteotomy was performed early in the disease process.

The Long Term Results of Femoral Varus Osteotomy in Patients with Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease

Femoral varus osteotomy (FVO) has been widely used in the surgical treatment of Legg-Calve-Perthes disease (LCPD). Axer in 1965 reviewed FVO as a treatment of LCPD and reported a very favorable results comparing with those observed after conservative treatment. Since then, many authors have demonstrated that it can prevent femoral head deformity and restore spherical congruity, provided that the femoral head can be contained in the acetabulum. The advantages of FVO are that the operation is done on the affected bone, it provides better lateral coverage than does innominate osteotomy, and it decreases the force across the joint. However, the disadvantages of FVO are also reported that it may shorten the limb and may create excessive varus angulation, leading to weakness of the abductors of the hip. However, only few papers have been reported the long term results of FVO which followed up to the full skeletal maturity. We selected 35 patients who had clinical and radiological examinations at the full skeletal maturity and analyzed the results with special emphasis on the sphericity of femoral head and the leg length discrepancy (LLD). Submitted: July 14, 2009 1st revision: August 17, 2009 2nd revision: August 26, 2009 Final acceptance: August 26, 2009 �Address reprint request to Sung Man Rowe, MD Department of Orthopedic Surgery, St.Carollo Hospital, 1742, Jorye-dong, Suncheon-si, 540-718, Jeollanam-do TEL: +82-61-720-6401 FAX: +82-61-720-6363 E-mail: smrowe@chonnam.ac.kr The Long Term Results of Femoral Varus Osteotomy in Patients with Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease

Early clinical and radiological outcomes after double osteotomy in patients with late presentation Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease

Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease is an idiopathic avascular necrosis of the femoral head. Although many surgical approaches to treat the late presentation of this pathology have been proposed, there are few reports about the early results of the double osteotomy procedure (femoral varus osteotomy combined with Salter innominate osteotomy). The purpose of this study was to describe the early results obtained with the double osteotomy in patients with late presentation of Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease. Cross-sectional evaluation of ten patients intervened with double osteotomy. There were seven males and three females with a mean age of 9.2 +/- 1.7 years [standard deviation (SD)]. The average post-surgical time of evaluation was of 46.5 +/- 26.2 months. Of the ten evaluated patients, four had a Catterall III and six had a Catterall IV disease. According to Herring classification, three patients were Herring B and seven were Herring C. The epiphyseal extrusion average before and after the surgical procedure was 19.3 +/- 12.4 and 12.1 +/- 14.9%, respectively. In accordance with the Ratliff classification and Lloyd Roberts radiological results, the following were the postoperative clinical results: four good, five fair and one poor. Based on the Stulberg classification, there was one patient in class I, five in class II, three in class III and one in class IV. The surgical treatment for late Perthes disease with the best expected outcome is still a challenge. According to the resultsreported here, the double osteotomy could be considered as an alternative to treat this entity.

Prognostic factors and outcome of treatment in Perthes’ disease

This nationwide prospective study was designed to determine prognostic factors and evaluate the outcome of different treatments of Perthes' disease. A total of 28 hospitals in Norway were instructed to report all new cases of Perthes' disease over a period of five years and 425 patients were reported and followed for five years. Of these, 368 with unilateral disease were included in the present study. The hips were classified radiologically according to a modified two-group Catterall classification and the lateral pillar classification. A total of 358 patients (97%) attended the five-year follow-up, when a modified three-group Stulberg classification was used as a radiological outcome measure. For patients over six years of age at diagnosis and with more than 50% necrosis of the femoral head (152 patients), the surgeons at the different hospitals had chosen one of three methods of treatment: physiotherapy (55 patients), the Scottish Rite abduction orthosis (26), and proximal femoral varus osteotomy (71). Of these hips, 146 (96%) were available for the five-year follow-up. The strongest predictor of outcome was femoral head involvement of more or less than 50% (odds ratio (OR) = 7.76, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.82 to 21.37), followed by age at diagnosis (OR = 0.98, 95% CI 0.92 to 0.99) and the lateral pillar classification (OR = 0.62, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.98). In children over six years at diagnosis with more than 50% of femoral head necrosis, proximal femoral varus osteotomy gave a significantly better outcome than orthosis (p = 0.001) or physiotherapy (p = 0.001). There was no significant difference between the physiotherapy and orthosis groups (p = 0.36), and we found no difference in outcome after any of the treatments in children under six years (p = 0.73). We recommend proximal femoral varus osteotomy in children aged six years and over at the time of diagnosis with hips having more than 50% femoral head necrosis. The abduction orthosis should be abandoned in Perthes' disease.

Fracture incidence following plate removal in Legg–Calvé–Perthes disease: A 32-year study

The decision of whether or not to remove pediatric metallic implants remains a controversial issue. Many factors have been cited both in favor and against routine removal of metallic implants. The purpose of this study was to determine the fracture rate following the routine removal of hardware from patients with Legg-Calvé-Perthes (LCP) disease treated by proximal femoral varus osteotomy (PFVO) and to determine if there is an optimal time to remove hardware in this population. We performed a retrospective chart review of children who had PFVO with subsequent hardware removal from March 1973 to May 2005 performed by a single surgeon. A total of 196 hips in 184 patients were included. Data was analyzed using logistic regression. Inverse prediction was also used to obtain estimates of the time needed to produce probabilities of no fracture. Ten out of the 196 hips included (5.1%) sustained a fracture after plate removal. The time from osteotomy to plate removal averaged 10.4 months in the nonfracture group and 4.8 months in the fracture group. This was statistically significant (P < 0.0001). Using the logistic regression model, the predicted time to plate removal corresponding to a 95% probability of no fracture was between 5.1 and 8.4 months. Plate removal remains a reasonable choice but questions remain as to the timing of removal. These data suggest that patients may benefit from extending the time to hardware removal beyond radiographic union to at least six months or more after the osteotomy.