Total Hip Arthroplasty in Patient with the Sequelae of Legg-Calvé-Perthes Disease

PURPOSE: Patients who have secondary hip osteoarthritis as sequelae of Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (LCPD) are severe deformities of femoral head and acetabulum. A few studies have presented that the clinical results and risks associated with total hip arthroplasty (THA) for patients with a history of LCPD were not satisfactory. In this study, we reported the radiographic and clinical outcomes of THA in patients with sequelae of LCPD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between March 2007 and May 2012, 23 hips (23 patients) underwent cementless THA and were followed up at least 2 years after surgery. There were 11 male patients and 12 female patients with an average age of 49.2 years old (range, 25 to 69 years old), and the average follow up period was 40.8 months (range, 24 to 84 months). The clinical and radiological evaluations were performed. RESULTS: The Harris hip score improved from 48.3 points preoperatively to 92.4 points at the time of the last follow-up. The shortening of affected limb was improved from -1.6 cm to 0.2 cm. The complications included one case of sciatic nerve palsy that developed after extensive lengthening of lower extremity, three cases of intraoperative femur fractures. There was no component loosening. CONCLUSION: Fractures and motor nerve palsies may be more frequent in this population. Careful preoperative planning should be performed to overcome the technical pitfalls. If overcoming this early complication, the clinical and radiological evaluations showed excellent outcomes at average 40-month follow-ups.