OBJECTIVES: This paper evaluates the treatment of severe proximal femoral epiphysiolysis through subtrochanteric osteotomy by the Ilizarov method and propose a new method for calculating the necessary correction. METHODS: a case study was carried out with patients affected by severe proximal femoral epiphysiolysis, submitted to subtrochanteric osteotomy with external multiplanar fixation, and evaluated postoperatively by the modified Southwick classification. A method was developed for calculating the necessary angular correction at surgery procedure. RESULTS: thirteen hips were analysed, four on the left (30.8%) and nine to the right (69.2%). The majority of patients (61.5%) were male, with a mean age of 14 yrs. In relation to pain and function, results were excellent: 30.8%; good: 46.2%; and regular: 23.0%. There were no poor results in relation to these two aspects. The results for mobility were: excellent 46.2%; good 30.8%; and regular: 23.0%. Radiographically, the results were: excellent 7.7%; good: 69.2%; regular: 15.4%; and poor: 7.7%. CONCLUSIONS: percutaneous treatment of the severe proximal epiphysiolysis by the Ilizarov method is a good treatment option with good indices for improvement of pain and function. The proposed calculation method can help in planning surgery procedures, showing small variations between preoperative calculated angles and measured postoperative angles.
Dislocated epiphyses; Osteotomy; External fixators; Ilizarov technique
