A review of the diagnoses of hip pain presentation in the adolescent.

This paper describes 26 adolescents presenting with hip pain. Monarticular hip arthritis can be the onset of juvenile spondylitis or even juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, whilst occasionally it persists as localized disease which becomes destructive; however, in this small series, the two commonest diagnoses were idiopathic protrusio acetabuli and idiopathic chondrolysis. Initial diagnosis may be difficult despite adequate investigation and exclusion of infection. In such cases long-term follow-up with appropriate orthopaedic advice is essential.