Outcome of one stage combined open reduction, pelvic and derotation femoral osteotomy in congenital dislocated hips of children younger than three years age

Objective: To determine the outcome of one-stage combined operative management of congenital dislocation of hips in children aged 18-36 months. Methods: The descriptive case series study was conducted at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi, from January 2005 to December 2011. Children aged 18-36 months suffering from congenital dislocation of hips were included. Those with Tonnis stage III and IV were managed with one-stage operative procedure without preliminary traction. The operative procedure included adductor tenotomy, open reduction, capsulorraphy, Salter s osteotomy and a femoral derotation osteotomy. Catteral s Test of Stability was used after open reduction as an indicator for need of pelvic and femoral osteotomies. Follow-up ranged between 1 and 7 years. The patients were evaluated clinically on McKay s criteria and radiologically on Severin s criteria. Klisic s overall rating was used to know mean of the assessments. Results: There were 38 patients with 50 congenital dislocations of hip. There were 26(68.42%) females and 12(31.57%) males with a female-to-male ratio of 2:1. Mean age at the time of operation was 24.26±7.6 months. Of the total, 12(31.57%) patients had bilateral involvement, 11(28.94%) had right-sided and 15(39.47%) had left- sided involvement. Right side to Left ratio was 1:1.2. At the time of last follow-up, 25(50%) hips behaved excellent on McKay s criteria. According to radiographic classification on Severin s criteria, 24(48%) hips were in excellent class. Avascular necrosis of femoral head was noted in 3(6%) hips, re-subluxation/re-dislocations were observed in 3(6%) hips and 1(2.6%) patient had 1cm femoral lengthening. Conclusion: One-stage open reduction, capsulorrapyhy, Salter s osteotomy and femoral derotation osteotomy without preliminary traction to re-locate congenital dislocation of hips in late presenting children is a safe and highly effective method. It produces a low rate of complication and need for repeat surgery. It reduces the cost of treatment, minimises socio-economic burden and psychological trauma incurred by lengthy hospitalisation of treatment with traction followed by closed reduction.