Intertrochanteric osteotomy in young adults for sequelae of Legg-Calvé-Perthes' disease--a long term follow-up.

Between 1974 and 1999 we performed 15 intertrochanteric osteotomies in 14 patients with a painful hip secondary to Legg-Calvé-Perthes' disease. In seven patients, the osteotomy was combined with advancement of the greater trochanter, acetabular roof plasty, or both. One patient died 5 years after the osteotomy and one patient was lost to follow-up. One patient had a revision osteotomy 21 years after the initial osteotomy, and five patients had a prosthetic replacement 8-25 years after the osteotomy. The average follow-up of the remaining osteotomies was 11.3 years. An intertrochanteric osteotomy can decrease pain and improve clinical function medium and long term without radiological progression of joint degeneration.