Arthrodiastasis for stiff hips in young patients

• Published in: International orthopaedics Vol. 17; no. 4; pp. 254 - 258
• Main Authors: CANADELL, J, GONZALES, F, BARRIOS, R. H, AMILLO, S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin Springer 01-08-1993
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Arthroplasty - methods; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Epiphyses, Slipped - complications; External Fixators; Female; Hip Dislocation, Congenital - complications; Hip Joint - diagnostic imaging; Hip Joint - surgery; Humans; Joint Diseases - surgery; Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease - complications; Male; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous. Osteoarticular involvement in other diseases; Radiography; Range of Motion, Articular; Tuberculosis, Osteoarticular - complications; Human; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Lower limb; Joint; Hip; Result; Fixation; Treatment; Surgery; Adolescent; Young adult; Distraction; External; Technique
• ISSN: 0341-2695; 1432-5195
• DOI: 10.1007/BF00194191

Joint distraction (arthrodiastasis) with a unilateral fixator was used to treat 9 patients with stiffness of the hip which had followed Perthes' disease (3), epiphysiolysis (2), congenital dysplasia (2), tuberculosis (1) and idiopathic chondrolysis (1). Their average age was 14 years, and they all had pain, limp and shortening of the leg. Distraction of 0.5 to 1 cm was maintained for an average of 94 days. The average range of movement subsequently was 65 degrees compared with 20 degrees before. The articular space was widened by an average of 2.8 mm, and only 3 patients had pain on follow up.