Triple pelvic osteotomy: Complications and how to avoid them

Abstract

Authors reviewed their eight-year long experience with triple pelvic osteotomy. They explained the way of introduction of this procedure into everyday clinical practice. Seventy hips were operated using Tonnis-Vladimirov method in fifty nine patients of an average age of 15 years and one month. Treatment results were evaluated, both anatomically and functionally. Anatomic improvement was recorded by measuring the CE angle of Wiberg. Preoperatively, it ranged from -6 to 33 degrees (16.1?10.2 degrees), and at the end of treatment, it ranged from 15 to 68 degrees (43.1?11.1 degrees) - the difference proved to be highly significant (Student test t=-14.27, p<0.01). Functional improvement (absence of waddling gait or limp as well as better range of motion) was noted in almost all cases, although the difference was not statistically significant. In addition, the authors presented some very rare complications - asymptomatic pubic and/or ischial nonunion in seven patients.