Surgical treatment of symptomatic post-slipped capital femoral epiphysis deformity: a comparative study between hip arthroscopy and surgical hip dislocation with or without intertrochanteric osteotomy

PURPOSE: Our primary research question was to investigate the severity of deformity and articular damage as well as outcomes in patients undergoing hip arthroscopy compared with open surgery for the treatment of symptomatic slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) deformity. METHODS: Retrospective review of surgical treatment of symptomatic SCFE deformity with a minimum one-year follow-up. Patients were divided into three groups: the arthroscopic group, surgical hip dislocation(SHD) group and SHD with femoral osteotomy (SHD+ITO) group. Deformity severity was quantified. Hip outcome was assessed by the modified Merle d’Aubigné Postel (MDP) scores. RESULTS: There were more severe slips treated by SHD and SHD+ITO. There was more severe deformity in the SHD+ITO group than the arthroscopy group (p < 0.001). There were more full thickness acetabular cartilage defects in the SHD and the SHD+ITO groups (> 40%) compared with the arthroscopy group (11%; p = 0.03). The SHD+ITO and SHD group had lower MDP scores compared with the arthroscopy group both before and after surgery but no difference was detected in the amount of improvement from surgery across groups (p > 0.05). Moderate and severe SCFEs had worse preoperative scores but improvement was not different compared with mild SCFEs (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Patients undergoing open treatment had more severe SCFE deformity with more extensive articular damage at reconstructive surgery compared with patients undergoing arthroscopy. All groups with SCFE deformity had improved pain and hip function postoperatively. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III