Arthroscopy of the hip in juvenile chronic arthritis.

After distension of the hip joint with physiological saline followed by traction, hip arthroscopy was performed in 13 patients (15 hips) with juvenile chronic arthritis. Arthroscopy gave better information about the cartilage than the roentgenograms and gave the same information about the synovial membrane as the operation. This diagnostic procedure should be performed early in the course of hip disability.