The Salter innominate osteotomy for the treatment of developmental dysplasia of the hip in young adults.

The results were evaluated for 29 adult patients (33 hips) who had undergone a Salter innominate osteotomy because of painful developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). The mean age at the time of the index operation was 24.8 years (range 19-35 years), and the mean duration of follow-up was 3.5 years (range 2-8 years). Complications included one non-union and one dislocation of the osteotomy after a fall; both patients had to undergo re-operation. The mean Harris hip score improved from 65 points preoperatively to 82 points at the latest follow-up examination. In hips with no coxarthrosis (n = 11), the mean Harris hip score improved from 78 points to 89 points; in hips with coxarthrosis grade 1 (n = 15), it improved from 59 points to 85 points, while in hips with coxarthrosis grade 2 (n = 7), it improved only from 57 to 68 points. There was a diminution of coxarthrosis in 11 hips, no change in 17, and worsening in 5 hips. The mean center-edge angle of Wiberg was 11.2 deg (range 0-19 deg) preoperatively compared with 27.4 deg (range 21-37.5 deg) postoperatively and 27.6 deg at the latest follow-up examination. Our findings demonstrate that the Salter innominate osteotomy provides clinical improvement as well as radiographic improvement in adult patients with DDH, and this procedure is, compared with more complex pelvic osteotomies, a relatively simple and safe procedure with a low risk of complications.