Aims

To evaluate how abnormal proximal femoral anatomy affects different femoral version measurements in young patients with hip pain.

Coxa valga may sometimes occur as a complication of varus osteotomy for congenital dislocation of the hip. Six such cases are described with a minimum follow-up of nine years. In three cases the varus osteotomy had been performed on only one side; in one case it was done on both sides and coxa valga developed bilaterally; and in two further bilateral cases coxa valga developed on one side only. In each case the coxa valga was sub-capital. Detailed radiographic analysis included measurements of neck-shaft angle, acetabular angle and C.E. angle. The epiphysis-shaft angle is described; it is an index of the constant tendency of the capital epiphysis to assume a horizontal position. The cause remains unknown, but damage to the trochanteric growth plate or to the lateral part of the capital growth plate could not be identified as aetiological factors. Poor acetabular cover was considered a possible factor. All the patients in this series had functionally excellent hips, but the long-term prognosis of the hips with partly uncovered femoral heads is doubtful

Introduction

Hip dysplasia is the most common congenital deformity of the musculoskeletal system. This is a pathology that brings the hip joint from subluxation to dislocation.

Frequency of hip dysplasia − 16 children per 1000 newborns.

Aims: The late effect of intramedullary nailing of the femur on proximal femur growth, particularly on growth plate of the greater trochanter and femoral neck, being known that losing the balance in the growth of the three ossiþcation points of the femurñs proximal extremity, the gap canñt be compensated by the greater trochanterñs remaining growth cartilage. Methods: During 1980–1995 we have performed 55 intramedullary femoral osteosyn-theses using KŸntscher rods in children 5–14 years of age. We have had the opportunity to observe 29 children during their later somatic growth: 25 femoral diaphyseal fractures and 4 non-unions. The average folow-up period has been 8.3 years. The patientñs average age has been 9,5 years. The hips were evaluated clinically for walking, mobility, limb length discrepancy. Radiological evaluation was based, according to Edgren, on following parameters of the joint architecture: cervico-diaphyseal angle (CDA), articulo-trochanteric distance (ATD), intertro-chanteric distance (TTD), femoral neck diameter (FND). Results: Clinical, one child presented 1.3 cm femur shortening. The evaluation of the radiological parameters on coxo-femoral joint showed increased CDA value between 10–30¡ in 8 children, increased ATD value (10–20mm) in 7 children, reduction of the TTD value in 6 patients and reduction of the FND (5–10mm) in 3 children. Conclusions: Insertion of intramedullary nail via the greater trochanter should be avoided in children less than 13–14 years of age, having tardy valgus effect and thinning of the femoral neck. We recommend osteosynthesis with plate and screws or, in little ones, transfragmentar screws, followed by immobilisation in plaster cast.

Aims. Guided growth has been used to treat coxa valga for cerebral palsy (CP) children. However, there has been no study on the optimal position of screw application. In this paper we have investigated the influence of screw position on the outcomes of guided growth. Methods. We retrospectively analyzed 61 hips in 32 CP children who underwent proximal femoral hemi epiphysiodesis between July 2012 and September 2017. The hips were divided into two groups according to the transphyseal position of the screw in the coronal plane: across medial quarter (Group 1) or middle quarter (Group 2) of the medial half of the physis. We compared pre- and postoperative radiographs in head-shaft angle (HSA), Reimer’s migration percentage (MP), acetabular index (AI), and femoral anteversion angle (FAVA), as well as incidences of the physis growing-off the screw within two years. Linear and Cox regression analysis were conducted to identify factors related to HSA correction and risk of the physis growing-off the screw. Results. A total of 37 hips in Group 1 and 24 hips in Group 2 were compared. Group 1 showed a more substantial decrease in the HSA (p = 0.003) and the MP (p = 0.032). Both groups had significant and similar improvements in the AI (p = 0.809) and the FAVA (p = 0.304). Group 1 presented a higher incidence of the physis growing-off the screw (p = 0.038). Results of the regression analysis indicated that the eccentricity of screw position correlated with HSA correction and increases the risk of the physis growing-off the screw. Conclusion. Guided growth is effective in improving coxa valga and excessive femoral anteversion in CP children. For younger children, despite compromised efficacy of varus correction, we recommend a more centered screw position, at least across the middle quarter of the medial physis, to avoid early revision. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2020;102-B(9):1242–1247

We defined the characteristics of dysplasia and coxa valga in hereditary multiple exostoses (HME) by radiological analysis of 24 hips in 12 patients. The degree and effect of the ‘osteochondroma load’ around the hip were quantified. We investigated the pathology of the labrum and the incidence of osteoarthritis and of malignant change in these patients. Coxa valga and dysplasia were common with a median neck-shaft angle of 156°, a median centre-edge angle of 23° and Sharp’s acetabular angle of 44°. There was overgrowth of the femoral neck with a significantly greater ratio of the neck/shaft diameter in HME than in the control hips (p < 0.05), as well as correlations between the proximal femoral and pelvic osteochondroma load (p < 0.05) and between the proximal femoral osteochondroma load and coxa valga (p < 0.01). Periacetabular osteochondromas are related to Sharp’s angle as an index of dysplasia (p < 0.05), but not coxa valga. No correlation was found between dysplasia and coxa valga. These data suggest that HME may cause anomalies of the hip as a reflection of a generalised inherited defect, but also support the theory that osteochondromas may themselves precipitate some of the characteristic features of HME around the hip

1. Twenty-two dislocations of the hip occurring in patients paralysed from an early age have been studied. All showed abnormal coxa valga. The coxa valga, which may gradually reach 180 degrees, precedes dislocation and makes it inevitable. The presence of unbalanced adductor power may hasten dislocation, but the latter can occur in complete flaccid paralysis. 2. The combination of structural instability of the hip joint and muscular weakness may make independent walking impossible, but restoration of stability gives considerable improvement in any remaining muscular power and may alter the patient's whole future. 3. A method of correcting the basic deformity of coxa valga by osteotomy is described and the results of nine operations are reviewed

We studied the morphology of the haversian canals in the osteopenic cortical bone of the medial femoral neck from patients with rheumatoid arthritis and compared the findings with those in patients with osteoarthritis and with uncomplicated coxa valga. In the rheumatoid bone, the diameters of the canals were larger and many more contained osteoclasts. Fewer haversian canals showed only lining cells than in the osteoarthritic or coxa valga patients. In bone from rheumatoid patients, especially in canals with osteoclasts, small blood vessels were frequently lined by tall endothelial cells with an infiltration of mononuclear cells. These morphological differences are discussed with reference to the possible mechanisms of loss of cortical bone in rheumatoid arthritis and other conditions

There is much debate about the nature and extent of deformities in the proximal femur in children with cerebral palsy. Most authorities accept that increased femoral anteversion is common, but its incidence, severity and clinical significance are less clear. Coxa valga is more controversial and many authorities state that it is a radiological artefact rather than a true deformity. We measured femoral anteversion clinically and the neck-shaft angle radiologically in 292 children with cerebral palsy. This represented 78% of a large, population-based cohort of children with cerebral palsy which included all motor types, topographical distributions and functional levels as determined by the gross motor function classification system. The mean femoral neck anteversion was 36.5° (11° to 67.5°) and the mean neck-shaft angle 147.5° (130° to 178°). These were both increased compared with values in normally developing children. The mean femoral neck anteversion was 30.4° (11° to 50°) at gross motor function classification system level I, 35.5° (8° to 65°) at level II and then plateaued at approximately 40.0° (25° to 67.5°) at levels III, IV and V. The mean neck-shaft angle increased in a step-wise manner from 135.9° (130° to 145°) at gross motor function classification system level I to 163.0° (151° to 178°) at level V. The migration percentage increased in a similar pattern and was closely related to femoral deformity. Based on these findings we believe that displacement of the hip in patients with cerebral palsy can be explained mainly by the abnormal shape of the proximal femur, as a result of delayed walking, limited walking or inability to walk. This has clinical implications for the management of hip displacement in children with cerebral palsy

The direct anterior approach (DAA) is a popular minimally invasive approach for total hip arthroplasty (THA). It usually involves ligation of the lateral femoral circumflex artery's ascending branch (a-LFCA), which contributes to the perfusion of the tensor fasciae latae (TFL) muscle. Periarticular muscle status and clinical outcome were assessed after DAA-THA after a-LFCA preservation versus ligation. We evaluated surgical records of 161 patients undergoing DAA-THA with tentative preservation of the a-LFCA by the senior author between May and November 2021. Among 92 eligible patients, 33 (35 hips) featured successful preservation, of which 20 (22 hips, 13 female) participated in the study. From 59 patients with ligated a-LFCA, 26 (27 hips, 15 female) were enrolled, constituting the control group. MRI and clinical examinations were performed at 17–26 months to analyze volume and fatty infiltration of the TFL, gluteus medius and gluteus minimus muscles relative to the contralateral non-THA hip (15 preserved, 18 ligated). Clinical and radiographic data was retrospectively extracted from patient files. Patient-reported outcomes (PROMs) were added from the THA registry. There was a relative difference in TFL muscle volume of -6.27 cm. 3. (−9.89%, p=0.018) after a-LFCA preservation versus -8.6 cm. 3. (=11.62%, p=0.002) after ligation, without group differences (p>0.340). a-LFCA preservation showed lower relative TFL fatty infiltration (p=0.10). Gluteal muscle status was similar between sides and groups. Coxa valga morphology was more frequent in a-LFCA preservation (83%) than ligation (17%). Clinical outcomes showed high patient satisfaction in both groups, without difference in PROMs, but less anterolateral soft-tissue swelling after a-LFCA preservation (p<0.001). Despite excellent clinical results in both groups, preservation of the a-LFCA was associated with less TFL fatty infiltration and soft tissue swelling. Provided there is no compromise of intraoperative access we recommend a-LFCA preservation for DAA-THA

Hereditary multiple exostoses is an autosomal dominant disorder characterised by multiple osteochondromata, most commonly affecting the forearm, knee and ankle. Osteochondromata of the proximal femur have been reported to occur in 30% to 90% of affected patients with coxa valga in 25%. Acetabular dysplasia is rare but has been described. This is the first report of a patient requiring surgical intervention. A girl was seen at the age of nine with hereditary multiple exostoses and when 12 developed bilateral pain in the groin. Radiographs showed severely dysplastic acetabula with less than 50% coverage of the femoral heads and widening of the medial joint space. Large sessile osteochondromata were present along the medial side of the femoral neck proximal to the lesser trochanter, with associated coxa valga. The case illustrates the importance of obtaining initial skeletal surveys in children with hereditary multiple exostoses to identify potential problems such as acetabular dysplasia and subluxation of the hip

In early secondary arthritis due to femoral dysplasia, varus osteotomy achieves a control of arthritis for two decades in 80 % of cases : it is therefore a very reliable conservative treatment. Moreover, in carefully selected cases of severe arthritis in young active patients, a valgus osteotomy can achieve pain relief for a decade in 70 % of cases. THE VARUS OSTEOTOMY is recommended when the arthritis is due to a coxa valga ≥ 140°. By reducing the inclination angle to 125° the abductors level of arm is optimized, and their contracture is decreased. Therefore, the osteotomy reduces the surface strains, but it does not improve the extent of articular surfaces. A – . INDICATIONS. 1) Four factors are mandatory to achieve long term improvement:. The arthritis must be the . consequence. of the dysplasia, with degenerative changes localized at the supero lateral part of the head and of the acetabulum. This can be confirmed by isotope scanning. If the arthritic changes are not localised the desease is rather a primary arthritis, or an inflammatory or a metabolic disease, which are not an indication for a biomecanical treatment. There must be a real . coxa valga. , evidenced by coxometry. Anteversion is mesured by CT scan, and the inclinaison is mesured on a X ray of the pelvis with the hips in internal rotation equal to the ante-version. If there is a shortened femoral neck (such as a post reduction osteonecrosis), the modification of the glutei lever of arm may not change significantly the articular strains, and therefore osteotomy is no indicated. The articular . congruency. must not be impaired by the reduced inclination angle. Pre operative X rays with the hips in an abduction equal to the planned varisation must not reveal any lateral narrowing of the joint space, which would mean incongruity, and lead to failure. The possibility of articular . healing. must be important : varus osteotomy is recommended before 45 years, and if the joint space remains ≥ 50 % of normal. 2) Therefore varus osteotomy is . not recommended. in a non symptomatic dysplasia (as some of them may not lead to arthritis), or if the symptoms are those of a labrum syndrom, with suddent pain, instead of a progressive and mechanical arthritic pain. if the dysplasia is only acetabular : then only the acetabulum has to be treated. if the anatomic abnormality is not an increase of the inclinaison (neck-shaft) angle, but a modification of the head-neck angle, which causes impigement with the labrum, and which is not improved by inter-tro-chanteric osteotomy. 3) The . assosciated dysplasia. have to be taken into consideration. If there is a femoral hyperanteversion there are two different conditions in the adult :. if the patient walks with internal rotation of knees (convergent strabismus of patella), realising a dynamic correction of hyperanteversion, the association an external rotation of the femur to the varisation is recommended. but if, despite hyperanteversion, walking is without abnormal rotations of the knees, this means that the optimum congruity of the hip is in that position. An ostotomy is no advocated as, instead of retroversing the femoral neck, it would rotate externally the femoral shaft. If there are both an acetabular and a femoral dysplasia, they both have to be treated :. if an augmentation is recommended for an anterolateral defect, the shelf osteoplasty can be performed in the same operation that the varus osteotomy. if a medialisation is necessary (Chiari), both osteotomies can be assosciated in one stage. but if a complex reorientation osteotomy is necessary (either periacetabular –Giacometti-,. or pelvic –Ganz-), it could be hazardous to perform a varus osteotomy at the same time. B – . SURGICAL TECHNIC. The importance of the varisation depends on that of the coxa valga. The final inclinaison angle must be 125°, as the lever of arm of the abductors is impaired for a lower angle. Moreover there is a post operative limping due to the ajustement of the glutei length, the duration of which is function of the varisation (one year per 10°). To reduce this limping, only the necessary varisation has to be made. The technic has several important points :. non union is avoided by non dissection of the medial metaphysis or removal of a wedge :. we use a subperiosteal osteotomy, leaving in contact the medial cortex, with a lateral opening, fixed by a nail plate as a tension band. This technique gives a minimum limb shortening (12 mm for 15° varisation). respect of the articulation and soft tissues. There is no arthrotomy as the nail plate is inserted on a guide pin. Later implantation of the THR will not be complicated by the previous osteotomy. precise, « automatic » correction, depends only on the nailplate angle. the resistance of the osteosynthesis allows immediate rehabilitation (this extra articular operation does not reduce ROM), and 10 to 20 kilos weight bearing. Full weight bearing is authorized at three months. C – . RESULTS. There are less thant 5 % mechanical complications. An antalgic effect is obtained within some weeks. In 80 % of cases, painlessness and absence of radiological deterioration for two decades is achieved, a THR becoming necessary in the third decade. In 20 % of cases, only a temporary effect is obtained, leading to a THR after 5 to 10 years. THE VALGUS OSTEOTOMY is at present used in only seldom cases of young patients with a severely damaged articulation, but who prefer an antalgic conservative surgery than a THR, because they wish to continue for a decade a strenuous activity not compatible with an arthroplasty. This can be made only when there are two large osteophytic drops of the acetabulum and of the femoral head, which can be put into contact by the valgisation, and facilitate healing of the superior lesions. In carefully selected cases, a relief of pain is achieved for a decade in 70 % of patients. IN CONCLUSIONS. The femoral varus osteotomy remains one of the most reliable conservative operations in osteoarthritis due to DDH. However to achieve these good results, a clear understanding of the indications and biomechanical demands of this operation is required. In seldom and selected cases of severe arthritis, a palliative valgus osteotomy can achieve a decade of pain relief

Introduction and Aims: The treatment of femoral shaft fractures in skeletally immature patients has changed dramatically over the past 30 years. This is due in part to the advances in intramedullary nail outcomes pioneered in the adult orthopaedic trauma literature. We examined the results of reamed, locked nails in a pediatric population. Method: The medical records of 224 children with femoral shaft fractures treated with reamed, locked intramedullary nails (RLIMN) at our institution between 1987 and 2000 were reviewed (largest series in the literature). Patients were treated with nails placed through the greater trochanter. Of those patients, 72 patients had long-term clinical (> 24 months) and radiographic (AP pelvis and leg length CT scanogram) follow-up. Functional status and radiographic parameters (femoral neck-shaft angle, leg length, presence of osteonecrosis) were recorded. Patients lacking two-year clinical and radiographic follow-up were evaluated via telephone follow-up. Results: At our institution, over 200 skeletally immature patients have successfully undergone reamed, locked, intramedullary nailing of femur fractures. Average age at the time of treatment was 10.3 years. No case of osteonecrosis of the femoral head occurred. All fractures united after treatment with RLIMN at an average of 71 days. No patient manifested a gait abnormality after healing. Complications included delayed union in two patients, (one patient was treated with exchange IMN and one patient healed after dynamisation) superficial wound infection in one patient, (treated with oral antibiotics) and coxa valga in one patient. The patient that developed coxa valga was 7.7 years old at the time of intramedullary nailing. The only other procedures performed were removal of hardware in patients who remained skeletally immature at the time of healing. All patients returned to pre-injury activity level. The average leg length difference was 0.6cm (longer on the injured extremity). Average articulo-trochanteric distance was 0.28cm (longer on injured extremity). Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that femoral shaft fractures in skeletally immature patients can be safely treated with reamed, locked intramedullary nails placed through the greater trochanter. We recommend careful placement of the nail through the greater trochanter to avoid damage to the blood supply of the femoral head

Introduction: For longer lasting and bone conserving cementless stem fixation, stable and physiological proximal load transfer from the stem to the canal should be one of the most essential factors. According to this understanding, we have been developing a custom stem system with lateral flare and an off-the-shelf (OTS) lateral flare stem system was added to the series. On the other hand, dysplastic hips are often understood that they have larger neck shaft angle as well as larger anteversion. In other words they are in the status called “coxa valga.” From this point of view we had been mainly using custom stems for the dysplastic cases before. After off-the-shelf lateral flare stem system; which is designed to have very high proximal fit and fill to normal femora; was added, we have been using 3D preoperative planning system to determine custom or OTS. Then in most of the cases, OTS stem were suitably selected. Our pilot study of virtual insertion of OTS lateral flare stem into 38 dysplastic femora has shown very tight fit in all 38 cases. The reason was analyzed that the excessive anteversion is twist of proximal part over the distal part and the proximal part has almost normal geometry. In the present study, 59 femora were examined by the 3D preoperative planning system how the excessive anteversion effect to the coxa valga status. Materials and Methods: Fifty-nine femoral geometry data were examined by the 3D preoperative planning system. Thirty-three hip arithritis, 3 RA, 2 metastatic bone tumours, 5 AVN, 1 knee arthritis, 12 injuries, and 3 normal candidates were included. Among them one arthritic Caucasian and one AVN South American were included. The direction of the femoral landmarks; centre of femoral head (CFH), lesser trochanter (LTR), and asperas in 3 levels (just below LTR, upper 1/3, mid femur; A1-3); were assessed as the angle from knee posterior condylar (PC) line. Neck shaft angle of each case was assessed from the view perpendicular to PC line and neck shaft angle form the view perpendicular to CFH and femoral shaft (i.e. actual neck shaft angle). Results: Average anteversion was 34.4 +/−9.9 degree. CFH and LTR correlated well (i.e. they rotate together). A1, A2, A3 correlated well (i.e. they rotate together). LTR and A1 correlate just a little, LTR and A2 were independent each other. So the twist existed around A1. Neck shaft angle was 138.7+/−6.6 in PC line view and in actual view 130.3+/−4.4. No excessive neck shaft angle was observed in actual view. Even the case that has the largest actual neck shaft angle (140.4), the virtual insertion showed good fit and fill with the lateral flare stem. Conclusion: In many high anteversion cases, coxa valga is a product of the observation from non perpendicular direction to CFH-shaft plane. Selection or designation of the stem for high anteversion cases should be carefully determined by 3D observation

Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) represents a heterogeneous group of deformities that are commonly associated with secondary osteoarthritis. Affected hips may require total hip arthroplasty (THA) for endstage disease and these cases can present unique challenges for the reconstructive surgeon. While the severity of deformity varies greatly, optimizing THA can be challenging even in the “mildly” dysplastic hip. These disorders are commonly characterised by acetabular deficiency with inadequate coverage of the anterolateral femoral head and proximal femoral abnormalities including excessive femoral antetorsion, coxa valga and femoral stenosis. In more severe cases, major femoral head subluxation or dislocation can add additional complexity to the procedure. In addition to the primary deformities of DDH, secondary deformities from previous acetabular or proximal femoral osteotomies may also impact the primary THA. Primary THA in the DDH hip can be optimised by detailed understanding of the bony anatomy, careful pre-operative planning, and an appropriate spectrum of techniques and implants for the given case. This presentation will review the abnormal hip morphologies encountered in the dysplastic hip and will focus on the more challenging aspects of THA. These include acetabular reconstruction of the severely deficient socket and in the setting of total dislocation, femoral implant procedures combined with corrective osteotomy or shortening, and issues related to arthroplasty in the setting of previous pelvic osteotomy. Despite the complexity of reconstruction for various dysplastic variants the clinical outcomes and survivorship of these procedures are good to excellent for most patients. Nevertheless, more complex procedures are associated with an increased complication rate and this should be considered in the surgical decision-making process

In spina bifida the femoral neck can develop either the well-known coxa valga or the hitherto unreported coxa vara. Twenty-three cases of coxa vara in spina bifida are reported. These result from spontaneous separation of the upper femoral epiphysis (10 cases), spontaneous fracture of the femoral neck (three cases) and iatrogenic avascular necrosis of the upper femoral epiphysis (10 cases)

1. Seven cases of haemophiliac arthropathy of the hip joint are reported. 2. Attention is drawn to the different appearances in the hip when it is affected before and after puberty. Before puberty there are features similar to pseudocoxalgia. After puberty there may be cyst formation, coxa valga, or features similar to osteoarthritis. 3. It is suggested that intra-osseous haemorrhage is important in the production of these changes and that intra-epiphysial haemorrhage is responsible for the appearances seen before puberty

Seven children who had partial arrest of the growth plate after neonatal arterial cannulation, developed obvious skeletal changes in adolescence. Cannulation of the femoral artery produced ischaemia which led to four cases of ipsilateral shortening of the lower limb and one of partial arrest of the proximal femoral physis with subsequent coxa valga. The two arrests in the upper limb affected the humerus, ulna and radius, and the radius alone, after cannulation of the brachial and radial arteries, respectively. These late effects of cannulation are not widely appreciated, and may occur as a result of thrombosis rather than extravasation

Plain radiographs show only two dimensions of a three-dimensional object. On anteroposterior and lateral radiographs an implant may appear to be safely within the head of the femur although surface penetration has occurred. We have attempted to identify this complication in the treatment of fractures of the femoral neck and have analysed the position of a screw or pin in the femoral head and neck on the basis of orthogonal frontal and lateral radiographs. A retrospective analysis of 60 cases of osteosynthesis of fractures of the femoral neck confirmed the risk of non-recognition of articular penetration or breaking of the cortex of the neck during surgery. Unrecognised screw penetration of the hip was observed in 8% and of the posterior part of the neck in 10%. The risk differs according to the type of fracture: it is greater in the coxa valga produced by Garden-I fractures of the femoral neck

Clinical examinations and radiographic skeletal surveys have been carried out in 15 patients with foetal alcohol syndrome. Fusion of the capitate and hamate bones in the carpus was bilateral in one patient and unilateral in two. All three had accessory ossification centres at the proximal ends of both second metacarpals. Two of these patients also had radio-ulnar synostosis. Digital shortening, which was demonstrated by pattern profile analysis, was very variable in degree and anatomical distribution. Other skeletal changes of uncertain significance were a "beaten copper" appearance of the calvarium in four patients, and coxa valga in one other. Diagnosis of the foetal alcohol syndrome warrants consideration in any individual presenting with carpal fusion or with radio-ulnar synostosis