[Long-term development of primary osteochondritis of the hip (Legg-Perthes-Calvé). Apropos of 60 hips with a follow-up of more than 30 years].

This study concerns 60 hips in 57 patients aged between 33 and 56 years with a follow-up of 30 to 44 years since the onset of the disease. The progress of the condition was assessed by objective and subjective clinical criteria and radiographic criteria including roundness of the head, head height, head cover, abnormal head shape and the presence of arthrosis. The main prognostic feature was found to be the eventual shape of the femoral head. Normal heads (7 cases) and round heads with some flattening (20 cases) had few problems at the time of follow-up. Irregular heads (7 cases) and, most of all, very irregular heads (20 cases) progressed badly. Pain was common, often severe and the patients were disabled. Fourteen of them had consulted a doctor and seven had already been treated surgically. Arthrosis as a consequence of osteochondritis seemed to be due to joint incongruence. We consider that the prognosis can be made at the end of the progressive phase of the disease, since remodelling plays no part in the roundness of the head. These findings indicate the need for care in recommending treatment in the residual phase of the disease and suggest that it is difficult to determine what surgical treatment should be considered in adult life.