Pelvic osteotomies for subluxation of the hip in cerebral palsy.

Twenty-three pelvic osteotomies (10 Salter, seven Chiari, six Steel) were performed on 21 patients with cerebral palsy for hip subluxation or dislocation from 1977 to 1986. The principal indication for osteotomy was inadequate coverage of the femoral head. Stability was maintained in 19 of 23 hips with an average follow-up of 6.14 years (2.0-13.3). The hips showed a significantly improved center-edge angle, acetabular angle, Reimers index, and neck-shaft angle. There were six failures; painful degenerative joint disease developed in two patients and resubluxation or dislocation in four. Pelvic osteotomies can provide hip stability in selected cerebral palsy patients.