Slipped capital femoral epiphysis long-term results after 10--38 years.

Thirty-four patients with chronic slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) involving 45 hips were followed over a period of no less than 10 years and as great as 38 years. Excluding those who had had intraoperative complications, 30 hips evaluated between 10 and 20 years follow-up were found to have good or excellent results. Fifteen hips followed greater than 20 years, however, showed fair to poor grading in 10 of 15 hips. This progessive change seemed to be related most closely to the bilateralism of the disease. These observations suggest that while follow-up of a 20 year duration may show good clinical results, over a longer period of time the prognosis of SCFE is guarded.