The myelodysplastic hip and scoliosis.

To investigate the relationship between unilateral hip dislocation or subluxation and scoliosis, the records were examined of 31 patients aged 10 to 26 years with myelomeningocele and an initial neurosegmental level of L3 or L4. 11 patients had deteriorated neurologically over time; the remainder had stable neurological examinations, with an average follow-up of 14.3 years. Scoliosis occurred in three of the nine patients with unilateral hip instability, compared with five of the 11 remaining patients. Only two patients had the expected pattern of unilateral hip instability on the high side of an oblique pelvis, with scoliosis convex to the opposite (low) side. Several unexpected patterns were observed. The functional neurosegmental level is not stable in many patients with myelodysplasia. In neurologically stable patients, unilateral hip instability and scoliosis are comorbid factors and no causal relationship was identified.