Osteotomy for femoral anteversion. Complications in 95 children.

Totally, 95 children with increased femoral anteversion had derotational substrochanteric osteotomy with plate fixation. The mean anteversion angle was reduced from 48 degrees to 4 degrees, internal hip rotation from 81 degrees to 42 degrees, and external rotation increased from 9 degrees to 48 degrees. All the osteotomies healed, but serious complications occurred in 13 of the 95 patients. Because of the risk for complications and the trend towards spontaneous regression of femoral anteversion with age, we recommend a much more conservative attitude with regard to operative treatment.