Purpose of study: To evaluate the results of a consecutive series of displaced intracapsular paediatric femoral neck fractures treated by early closed reduction and Austin Moore Pin fixation.

Method: Between 2001 and 2004, 14 paediatric patients with a mean age of 10 years suffering femoral neck fractures were identified. All traumatic epiphyseal, trans-cervical and basi-cervical femoral neck fractures were included. Pathological and intertrochanteric fractures were excluded. There were 11 male and 3 female patients. All patients were treated by reduction and internal fixation using Austin Moore pins. Patients were allowed to mobilize non-weight bearing with crutches for 3 months, followed by partial to full weight bearing. The mechanism of injury, associated injuries, time to reduction and time to union were reviewed. All patients were followed up till union. Mean follow up was 18 months. Patients were assessed clinically for pain, limp, use of walking aid, walking distance, stair climbing, cross leg sitting and squatting. Hip movements and limb length discrepancy were noted. Radiographs were analyzed to determine the adequacy of reduction, fracture healing and changes of avascular necrosis (AVN).

Results: Mean injury-operation interval was 38.5 hours. Mean time to union was 16 weeks. All patients had excellent initial reduction which was maintained till healing. All patients’ fractures healed uneventfully. There were no complications in the form of non-union, AVN, premature physeal closure, angular deformity or implant back-out.

Conclusions: Paediatric femoral neck fractures can be treated successfully with expeditious reduction and internal fixation. The risk of the devastating complication of AVN can be lessened with urgent surgery and near anatomical reduction.

Purpose of study: To test the hypothesis that previous hip involvement leads to earlier presentation and a better outcome for the contra-lateral hip in bilateral Legg-Calve-Perthes’ disease (LCPD).

Method: Case notes and radiographs of 250 patients with LCPD treated by a single surgeon between 1984 and 2003 were retrospectively reviewed. Thirty three patients (4 girls: 29 boys) with a minimum 1 year follow-up were identified with bilateral involvement from a prospectively collected database. Patients were grouped according to age at presentation (Group A-< 6 years; Group B- 6–8 years; Group C-> 8 years). All radiographs were reviewed and consensus was obtained on the presenting Waldenstrom stages. The severity of disease was rated by Catterall and lateral pillar classifications. The outcome was determined by the Stulberg classification. The right hip was the first affected in 25 of the 33 hips.

Results: These are summarized below.

Conclusions: The present report, with 33 patients, is the second largest series of patients with bilateral LCPD to our knowledge. The second hip involvement was milder than the first, but the improvement in outcome was statistically insignificant.