Impingement-free hip range of motion after osteochondroplasty and relative neck lengthening in adults with healed Perthes disease

OBJECTIVE: Our main objective is to assess the efficiency of the osteochondroplasty with relative neck lengthening in adults with healed Perthes clinically (through assessment of impingement-free hip ROM, functional scores) and radiographically. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a prospective case series study included 30 hips of 30 patients who underwent osteochondroplasty and RNL due to symptomatic healed LCPD. This study included 16 males (53.3%) and 14 females (46.7%). The age of patients ranged from 19 to 40 years with mean age 26.4 years at the date of surgery (SD 6.4). RESULTS: Median time of follow-up was 27.7 months after surgery (range 12–60 months). Two patients (6.6%) developed avascular necrosis (AVN) and needing total hip replacement; none of our patients developed nerve injury, detachment of the trochanteric fragment, and wound infection needing treatment. Preoperative Stulberg classes II and III improved more than preoperative Stulberg classes IV and V, although not statistically significant (P = 0.1104, n = 30). The mean HHS and WOMAC score values for each patient were higher in the Stulberg II and III groups compared to the Stulberg IV and V groups CONCLUSION: Head and neck osteochondroplasty performed through the surgical dislocation approach, combined with RFNL, relieved pain and restored function in most of the patients with reasonable complications. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV