Intracapsular pressure in children with septic arthritis of the hip.

Elevated intracapsular pressure in the hip causes occlusion of the retinacular vessels and may result in avascular necrosis of the proximal femoral epiphysis (ANPFE) and growth disturbances. Our goal is to study intraarticular pressure in children with septic arthritis of the hip and its potential correlation with body weight, systemic blood pressure and the volume of synovial fluid aspirated from the joint. Thirteen septic arthritis of the hip were studied. Inclusion criteria: pain, limping, fever, leukocytosis, elevated C-reactive protein and ultrasonographic effusion >5 mm. Traumatic, inflammatory, rheumatic or tumoral origin were excluded. Mean age was 3.7 years. Girls were 58%. Mean time to articular drainage was 15 h. Arthrocentesis was performed. An STIC self-calibrating monitoring system with an error of ±1 mmHg was used. Measurements were taken: intracapsular pressure, volume of fluid aspirated, systolic and diastolic pressures and weight. Follow-up was 6.3 years. Descriptive and nonparametric tests were performed: U Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis. Statistical significance was P <0.05. Mean intracapsular pressure was 50.5 mmHg; fluid aspirated was 2.9 ml; systolic and diastolic pressures were 107.5 and 44.3 mmHg, respectively; weight was 16.2 kg. Intracapsular pressure exceeded 30 mmHg in eight children (61.5%) and was lower than 50 mmHg in 73%. Variables studied had no significance on intracapsular pressure. Complications: coxa magna in three patients (23%) and Harris lines in three (23%). Surgical drainage of septic arthritis of hip must be performed urgently, within the first 24 hours, to reduce the time with high intracapsular pressure and to avoid risk of ANPFE.

Arthrodiastasis followed by open reduction associated with pelvic and femoral osteotomies for the treatment of high inveterate congenital hip dislocation.

Our purpose is to analyze results, following the use of arthrodiastasis for the treatment of inveterate congenital hip dislocations. The study included eight patients. The mean age was 6 years. Three (37.5%) were male patients, and five (62.5%) were female patients. The patients were followed-up for 46 months. Teratologic, neurologic, rheumatic, and syndrome-associated dislocations were excluded. The following scores were used: Harris Hip Score, displacement of femoral head with respect to Hilgenreiner's line, Acetabular index, Wiberg angle, Reimer's extrusion index, and leg length discrepancy. Statistical analysis was carried out using Wilcoxon's test and Fisher's test. P values less than 0.05 were considered significant. We performed surgical technique in two stages. First, arthrogram and an adductor and a psoas tenotomy through an inguinal approach were performed; two 3.2 mm hydroxiapatite-coated screws were positioned in the supra-acetabular region and femoral shaft, joined using monolateral LRS fixator with a proximal locking T clamp. Distraction began the day after the procedure at a rate of 1 mm/day until restoration of Shenton's arc. Second, we performedan arthrogram intraoperatively, which included the anterior approach to the hip with open reduction, capsulorrhaphy and Salter osteotomy, and proximal femoral varus derotational osteotomy. Harris Hip Score improved significantly. Acetabular index and Wiberg angle decreased significantly in an average time of 14 months. Reimer's index showed no difference with respect to a healthy hip. Final leg length discrepancy was 14.9 mm. The complications that occurred were superficial pin tract infections: 25% of patients. We believe that arthrodiastasis, compounded by monolateral external fixation and an adductor and psoas tenotomy, combined with open reduction and pelvic and femoral osteotomies, is an optional tool to resolve the treatment approach to high inveterate congenital dislocation of the hip.