The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Vol 59, Issue 1 62-68, Copyright © 1977 by Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Inc
Remodeling of the femoral neck after in situ pinning for slipped capital femoral epiphysis
ET O'Brien and JJ Fahey
During a period of thirty-six years, sixty-two patients with seventy
slipped capital femoral epiphyses were treated by pinning in situ. Twelve
of these patients, ten years and eight months to sixteen years and one
month old, were treated for moderate to severe slipping by pinning in situ.
After follow-ups ranging from two to seventeen years, all but two patients
had satisfactory remodeling of the femoral head and neck and were
asymptomatic. The two with incomplete or no remodeling had no symptoms. It
was concluded that the effects of remodeling have been largely ignored and
that pinning in situ when possible, followed if necessary by osteoplasty or
osteotomy through the lesser trochanter, is a safe and effective treatment.