Outcome of pelvic support osteotomy with the Ilizarov method in the treatment of the unstable hip joint.

Instability of the hip joint in the young adult is a difficult problem. Patients with an unstable hip secondary to any aetiology usually have loss of bone from the proximal femur or shortening of the limb or both. In this study we report our results in the treatment of the unstable hip joint in young adults by pelvic support osteotomy using the Ilizarov method. From 1997 to 2004, 25 patients (17 females and 8 males) with an unstable hip joint were treated in the Orthopaedic department of Mansoura University Hospital, Egypt. Their mean age was 22.4 years (range: 19 to 35). The main complaints were pain, leg length discrepancy, limping, and limited abduction of the hip. All patients underwent valgus extension osteotomy in the proximal femur and distal femoral osteotomy for lengthening. The average follow-up ranged from 2 to 7 years. All hips were pain free at follow-up. The Trendelenburg sign became negative in 20 patients. There was no limb length discrepancy and alignments of the extremity were re-established. Five patients had a lurch gait. Valgus extension osteotomy has provided stability of the hip joint and maintained some motion of the hip joint. By using the Ilizarov technique, we could prevent the valgus effects created by the valgus extension osteotomy while achieving lengthening of the femur through the distal osteotomy in the femur.