Retrospective Evaluation of Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis

Abstract

We treated 16 patients (16 hips) with slipped capital femoral epiphysis (12 boys and 4 girls) encountered during the previous 16-year period. Their age ranged from 8 to 15 years (mean, 11.1 years), and the observation period ranged from 18 to 82 months (mean, 37 months). The evaluation items were chief complaint, mechanism of injury, initial diagnosis, disease type, radiographic findings, physique and endocrinological abnormalities, treatment methods, and complications. The disease type was acute slip in 2 patients, chronic slip in 8, and acute on chronic slip in 6. Mild slip was observed in 10 patients, moderate slip in 5, and severe slip in 1. Only 31.3% of the patients were diagnosed as having slipped capital femoral epiphysis. The mean interval from the first visit to diagnosis was 30 days. Surgery was performed in all patients; Southwick intertrochanteric osteotomy was performed in 5 patients and in situ pinning in 11. Concerning surgical complications, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection developed in 1 patient and k-wire breakage in 1. Most patients had satisfactory results. No avascular necrosis occurred. Limitation of motion remained in 6 hips, but no hip pain, and normal gait was attained.