Slipped upper femoral epiphysis (SUFE) is one of the known causes of cam-type femoroacetabular impingement (FAI). The aim of this study was to determine the proportion of FAI cases considered to be secondary to SUFE-like deformities.

We performed a case–control study on 96 hips (75 patients: mean age 38 years (15.4 to 63.5)) that had been surgically treated for FAI between July 2005 and May 2011. Three independent observers measured the lateral view head–neck index (LVHNI) to detect any SUFE-like deformity on lateral hip radiographs taken in 45° flexion, 45° abduction and 30° external rotation. A control group of 108 healthy hips in 54 patients was included for comparison (mean age 36.5 years (24.3 to 53.9).

The impingement group had a mean LVHNI of 7.6% (16.7% to -2%) versus 3.2% in the control group (10.8% to -3%) (p < 0.001). A total of 42 hips (43.7%) had an index value > 9% in the impingement group versus only six hips (5.5%) in the control group (p < 0.001). The impingement group had a mean α angle of 73.9° (96.2° to 53.4°) versus 48.2° (65° to 37°) in the control group (p < 0.001).

Our results suggest that SUFE is one of the primary aetiological factors for cam-type FAI.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014; 96-B:724–9.

Thirty-seven hips in thirty-four patients, mean age forty-one, underwent surgical dislocation of the hip with chondro-osteoplasty for the treatment of femoroacetabular impingement. At a mean follow-up of 2.1 years (2.0–4.0), the pre & post-operative outcome scores were for the: WOMAC 59.2 to 81.0 (p< 0.001), UCLA Hip Scores for pain 4.2 to 7.6;walking 7.3 to 8.6;function 6.2 to 8.1;activity level 4.3 to 6.9 (p< 0.05); and SF-12 physical 37.4 to 48.0 (p< 0.003) & mental 46.0 to 51.6 (p< 0.01). No hips have undergone further reconstructive surgery. Complications: one failure of fixation of the trochanteric osteotomy and one excision of bilateral ectopic ossification. No cases of osteonecrosis. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the early clinical results and quality of life outcome after chondro-osteoplasty of the femoral head/neck junction for the treatment of femoroacetabular impingement. An offset correction by surgical dislocation of the hip joint is a safe and an effective procedure in the treatment of femoroacetabular impingement commonly associated with labral tears. Femoro acetabular impingement is a due to an absence of concavity at the anterolateral head neck junction associated with labral pathology. At short-term followup correction of the bony abnormality has improved functional outcome both from a disease-specific and health-related standpoint. Thirty-seven hips (eighteen males; sixteen females) with persistent hip pain mean age forty-one (twenty-four to fifty-two) underwent 3-Dimensional CT of the pelvis and MR Arthrography prior to undergoing surgical dislocation with chondro-osteoplasty of the femoral head/neck junction. Preoperatively, the mean alpha angle of Notzli was 65.6(range, 42.0–95). At a mean follow-up of 2.1 years (2.0–4.0), the pre & post-operative outcome scores were for the: WOMAC 59.2 to 81.0 (p< 0.001), UCLA Hip Scores for pain 4.2 to 7.6;walking 7.3 to 8.6;function 6.2 to 8.1;activity level 4.3 to 6.9 (p< 0.05); and SF-12 physical 37.4 to 48.0 (p< 0.003) & mental 46.0 to 51.6 (p< 0.01). No hips have undergone further reconstructive surgery. Complications: one failure of fixation of the trochanteric osteotomy and one excision of bilateral ectopic ossification. No cases of osteonecrosis. Nine hips had removal of painful internal fixation