The Locking Compression Paediatric Hip Plate: technical guide and critical analysis.

PURPOSE: Osteotomies of the proximal femur and stable fixation of displaced femoral neck fractures are demanding operations. An LCP Paediatric Hip Plate was developed to make these operations safer and less demanding. The article focuses on the surgical technique and critically analyses the device.

METHODS

Between 2006 and 2008, 30 hips in 22 patients underwent surgery. Patients' demographics, perioperative details, postoperative outcome and complications were retrospectively collected and analysed.

RESULTS

Patients' diagnoses included persistent congenital hip dysplasia (n = 4), neuropathic hip dysplasia (n = 9), idiopathic ante/retroversion (n = 8), femoral neck fracture (n = 3), Perthes' disease (n = 2), deformity after slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE), congenital femoral neck pseudarthrosis, deformity after pelvic tumour resection and malunion following proximal femoral fracture (one each). In 21 of 22 patients, the postoperative radiographs showed corrections as planned. Two cases had to be revised for screw loosening. Intraoperative handling using the plate was excellent in all cases.

CONCLUSIONS

In our case series of 30 hip operations, the LCP Paediatric Hip Plate was shown to be safe and applicable in the clinical setting with excellent results and a low complication rate. We consider that the LCP Paediatric Hip Plate is a valuable device for correction of pathological conditions of the proximal femur and for fixation of displaced femoral neck fractures in children. Larger studies should be carried out to better quantify the risk of clinically relevant complications.