INTRODUCTION

Poor long-time results in patients with Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (LCP) are most often due to degenerative hip disease. The purpose of this study was to investigate if patients with LCP have an increased rate of total hip replacement (THR) compared to sex- and age-matched persons.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

167 LCP patients presented to our institution from 1941 to 1962. All patients were treated conservatively by a Thomas splint. Retrospectively medical records and radiographs were retrieved. Data from the Danish Hip Replacement Register and the Registries of the National Board of Health were collected to get information regarding the number of the patients who had a THR.

Radiographs of sex- and age-matched controls for the follow-up group were obtained from The Copenhagen City Heart Study.

The following criteria for exclusion were applied ¹⁾ emigrated persons, ²⁾ persons lost to follow-up and ³⁾ patients with previous surgery to pelvis or lower limbs. 135 patients (156 hips) were enrolled in this study and 32 patients (35 hips) were excluded.

RESULTS

20 hips out of 156 hips in patients with LCP have had a THR. Mean age at operation for the women was 50 years and 44 years for the men. None of the sex- and age-matched persons have had a THR.

CONCLUSION

LCP patients had a significantly higher risk of THR surgery compared to sex- and age-matched control persons, (p