Treatment of late-presenting developmental dislocation of the hip by progressive orthopaedic reduction and innominate osteotomy. Our results with more than 30 years of follow up

Abstract

BackgroundThe treatment of late-presenting developmental dislocation of the hip (DDH) is still controversial. A consecutive series of 32 patients not previously treated (43 hips, Tönnis grade 3 or 4) underwent progressive closed reduction followed immediately by innominate osteotomy between 1964 and 1976. They were between 1.5 and 5 years old at the time of pelvic osteotomy. This study was designed to check the outcome of these patients more than 30 years later.MethodsEight patients living outside of France (North Africa) could not be reached and one patient had died of an unrelated cause. The remaining 23 patients (32 hips) were reviewed with clinical assessment (Merle d’Aubigné, Harris and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index [WOMAC] scores) and anteroposterior (AP) pelvic radiograph. This represents a 75% rate of follow up at 31 to 44 years post-operatively.ResultsIn two patients, surgery was repeated due to residual subluxation. Only one patient needed a total hip replacement (THR) 33 years after initial treatment. The Merle d’Aubigné, Harris and WOMAC scores for the surviving hips were excellent or good in almost 80% of the cases. In four cases, radiographic signs “at risk for” osteoarthritis were present. Regularity of the femoral head was perfect in seven hips, regular in 18 and irregular in six. According to the Severin–Seringe classification, 25 hips could be classified as group I (14 group IA and 11 group IB), three group II and three group VII.ConclusionThe long-term results of non-previously treated late-presenting DDH by the technique of progressive closed reduction followed by innominate osteotomy are quite good and compare favourably with the long-term results of open reduction with the same osteotomy.