Reconstruction for sequelae of septic hip in children.

Sequelae of septic hip in children may develop either due to inadequate management or neglect in the acute stage. We treated 13 patients (13 hips) with late sequelae of septic hip by reconstruction procedures, from 1985 to 1992. The mean age of the patients was 6.1 years. Their initial bony deformities were all beyond Hunka's classification type IIB. All of them had problems of hip instability and leg length discrepancy. With the intention to reestablish containment of the hip joint, open reduction, femoral osteotomy and pelvic osteotomy were performed. Four patients, all beyond Hunka type IV, had secondary surgery for hip resubluxation. Leg length discrepancies were corrected by valgus osteotomy and limb lengthening. At an average follow-up of 6.3 years, all remodeled hips were stable. Early reconstruction is recommended to stabilize the hip joint and restore the normal hip center for bone development. The leg length discrepancies were corrected by an Ilizarov limb lengthening procedure at a later stage.