osteotomies about the hip

rationale

·      osteoarthritis caused by load exceeding tolerance of cartilage

·      anatomical deformity causing increased loads per unit area

·      inflammatory or metabolic disease leading to abnormal cartilage

·      most often from anatomical deformity

·      dysplasia (45%)

·      Perthes disease (20%)
SUFE (10%)

·      osteoarthritis by age 50 occurs in

·      50% of patients with dysplasia or Perthes disease

·      20% of patients with SUFE

·      failure of cartilage can be halted by decrease in load

·      aim of osteotomy is to correct deformity

·      before osteoarthritis begins (reconstructive)

·      before end-stage osteoarthritis occurs (salvage)

·      pain relief achieved by

·      relief of localized increases in intra-articular pressure

·      relief of increased intra-osseous pressure

patient evaluation
Selection

Reconstructive

·       age < 25 yrs

·      some biological plasticity remains

·      x-ray shows at-risk hip

·      must be likely that osteotomy will restore normal prognosis

Salvage

·      age < 50 yrs

·      x-ray shows mechanical pathogenesis of hip disease

·      localised changes of sclerosis, joint space narrowing and cysts

·      must be likely that congruence improved by osteotomy

History

·      nature of pain

·      disability

·      requirements

Examination

·      contractures

·      flexion adduction contractures common

·      may be eliminated with valgus-extension osteotomy

·      flexion-extension arc

·      should be at least 80o

·      abduction-adduction arc

·      correction should not exceed arc

Radiology

·      AP pelvis

·      true lateral (faux profil)

·      to assess anterior uncovering

·      simulating radiographs

·      in various positions simulating correction

·      maximum abduction and adduction

·      examination under image intensifier

·      positions to simulate correction

·      assessment of anteversion

·      3D CT

·      for complex dysplasias

Site of osteotomy

·      femoral osteotomy for femoral disorders

·      AVN, Perthes, SUFE

·      pelvic osteotomy for acetabular disorders

·      hip dysplasia

Alignment and leg length

·      varus intertrochanteric osteotomy

·      shaft should be displaced medially

·      so that mechanical axis continues to pass through knee

·      valgus intertrochanteric osteotomy

·      shaft should be displaced laterally

·      avoid true lengthening

·      to prevent increasing muscle forces across joint

intertrochanteric
Varus

Indications

·      coxa valga

·      abduction contracture

·      range of abduction at least equal to degree of desired correction

·      lateral overloading

·      improved congruity with hip in maximum abduction

Technique

·      lateral opening or medial closing or combination

·      medial displacement of shaft

·      internal fixation with 90o blade-plate

Effect

·      relaxation of abductors, adductors and psoas

·      unloading of hip joint

·      increase in weight-bearing surface

·      mechanical axis maintained

·      medial closing may cause

·      Trendelenburg gait

·      shortening of limb

·      prominence of greater trochanter

Valgus

Indications

·      adduction contracture

·      range of adduction at least equal to degree of desired correction

·      severe OA with medial osteophytes

·      improved congruity with hip in maximum adduction

Effect

·      inferomedial osteophyte brought into weight-bearing position

·      inferior cervical osteophytes contact acetabular floor osteophytes

·      superolateral joint space widens because of fulcrum effect

·      lever arm of body weigh decreases

·      improvement of congruity of hip joint

Extension

Indications

·      anterior uncovering of femoral head

·      excessive femoral anteversion

·      fixed flexion contracture

Effect

·      improved anterior covering of femoral head

·      elimination of fixed flexion contracture

Flexion

Indications

·      severe SUFE

Technique

·      flexion and derotation

Effects

·      extension deformity corrected

·      femoral shaft perpendicular to physis

For AVN

Indications

·      localised involvement

·      sum of arcs of involvement on AP and lateral < 200o

·      significant improvement with osteotomy

·      normal bone on weight-bearing area > 50o

Technique

·      varus or valgus depending on location of disease

·      varus for superior disease

·      valgus for central disease

pelvic
Reconstructive

·      redirect pelvis into more appropriate position

·      include

·      single, double and triple innominate osteotomies

·      spherical osteotomy

Salvage

·      for severely incongruous hips

·      include

·      shelf

·      Chiari