[Hip-shelf procedure in children and adolescents].

Forty-six hips treated by a shelf operation in childhood and adolescence have been reviewed. The mean follow-up was 8 years 1 month (4Y-26Y) after operation. The indications were residual dysplasia of the acetabulum, neurologic hips and sequelae of osteochondritis. All patients were operated after the age of 8.5 years except 2. In poliomyelitis and sequelae of osteochondritis the results were good. In dysplasia we had two bad results in 18 cases (1 painful hip after operation and 1 ankylosing hip) and in cerebral palsy 4 bad results in 13 cases, due to difficulty of maintaining a correct reduction for a long period. After a review of the literature to compare the results of this intervention with pelvic osteotomies we conclude that the shelf procedure is beneficial in childhood and adolescence, due to the quality of acetabular cover, to its improvement in time and to ease of intervention.