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

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long term results of performing femoral varus osteotomy (FVO) for the treatment of Legg-Calve-Perthes disease (LCPD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We selected 35 LCPD patients who received FVO and they were followed up to the time their skeletons' matured. The inclusion criteria were patients in a fragmentation stage, the patients were in Catterall group III or IV, and the patients underwent a teleoroentgenographic examination at the time of full skeletal maturity. RESULTS: The radiological outcome at the time of skeletal maturity was assessed using Stulberg's classification. The final results were 4 hips in class I, 17 hips in class II, 13 hips in class III, one hip in class IV and none in class V. The satisfactory results (good+fair hips) were 34 hips (97%). Significant shortening (>10 mm) was observed in 12 hips (34%). In 35 patients, 5 (14%) had same leg length (less than 2 mm difference), 27 (77%) had shortening of 2 mm or more, and 3 had lengthening of 2 mm or more in the operated limb. Of these 12 patients with significant shortening, only 3 patients (9%) showed shortening of 21 mm or more. CONCLUSION: FVO is a reliable method for managing LCPD in patients who are in Catterall group III or IV and who are in the fragmentation stage of disease.

Femoral Varus Osteotomy Versus Salter Innominate Osteotomy in the Treatment of Legg - Calve - Perthes Disease / 대한정형외과학회잡지

We compared the clinical and radiographic outcomes between femoral varus osteotomy (23 hips) and Salter innominate osteotomy (18 hips) for treatment of Catteral is groups III and IV Perthes disease after 3-12 years follow-up. There were no statistically significant differences in the clinical outcomes using the lowa hip rating score and leg length discrepancy and in the final radiographic outcomes using the femoral head sphericity and Stulberg type between the two groups. However, neckshaft angle and center-edge angle were closer to normal value in the Salter innominate osteotomy group compared with the femoral varus osteotomy group. When the patients underwent femoral varus osteotomy at the older age (7 years), articulotrochanteric distance ratio and neck-shaft angle were significantly less than those of other patients. Salter innominate osteotomy may be better indi- cated as compared to femoral varus osteotomy, when physeal damage of proximal femur is obvious or highly suspicious particularly in the older children (7 years) with severe Perthes disease.

Femoral Varus Osteotomy for Legg - Calve - Perthes Disease in Children Who Are Less Than 5 Years Old / 대한정형외과학회잡지

Because clinical course of the Legg-Calve'-Perthes disease (LCPD) is varied and unpredictable, it is important that pediatric orthopedists have to know prognostic factors of LCPD in order to choose proper method of treatment. The most universally accepted prognostic factor is the patient's age at the onset of the disease, and most patient's who are less than 5 years old have been treated non-operatively. However, we believe that the extent of involvement of the femoral head is more important in this age group and that operative treatment can get good results in cases of servere head involvement. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of femoral varus osteotomy in patients before the age of 5 years with severe involvement. We reviewed 18 patients (23 hips) who were less than 5 years old with Catterall group III (5 patients, 7 hips) or IV (13 patients, 16 hips) involvement from June 1984 to June 1994. Femoral varus osteotomies were performed in all cases. We followed up more than 2 years (range, from 24 to 130 months) and analysed clinical and radiological results. The results were as follows: 1. The mean duration from onset of the disease to the stage of repair was 16 months (range, from 8 to 27 months). 2. 2 hips (28.6%) in group III and 12 hips (75%) in group IV showed radiographic head at-risk signs. 3. Clinically all hips in group III showed good result. However, among the 16 hips in group IV, 13 hips were rated good and 3 hips were fair. Overall, 20 hips (86.9%) showed good result. 4. Radiologically all hips in group III showed good result, whereas in group IV, 10 hips were rated good and 6 hips were fair. Overall, 17 hips (78.9%) showed good result. We concluded that femoral varus osteotomy in patients less than 5 years old with severe involvement might shorten the course of disease and might be effective method.