[A comparison between the use of a monolateral external fixator and the Ilizarov technique for pelvic support...

We compared the results of monolateral external fixator and the Ilizarov technique for pelvic support osteotomies in the treatment of neglected congenital hip dislocation.

Seventeen female patients with congenital dislocation of the hip underwent pelvic support osteotomy using a monolateral external fixator (MEF) (n=7; mean age 23.2 years; range 17 to 39 years) or the hybrid advanced Ilizarov method (HAIM) (n=10; mean age 25.9 years; range 17 to 36 years). The mean leg discrepancies, durations of the external fixator, and follow up-periods in the MEF and HAIM groups were as follows, respectively: 5.5 cm and 5.2 cm; 201.5 days (range 185 to 241 days) and 197 days (164 to 248 days); 30.4 months (23 to 39 months) and 40.5 months (21 to 65 months). The two groups were compared with respect to patients' discomfort related to the use of external fixators and pin tract infections classified according to the Paley criteria.

Overall, six pins required removal because of grade 3 pin track infections (5 in the HAIM group, 1 in the MEF group). The number of patients who reported extreme discomfort for the use of external fixator was three in the HAIM group and one in the MEF group. Although the range of motion of the knee was similar in both groups (p>0.05), clinically, patients treated with MEF exhibited a more comfortable range of motion of the knee with external fixation and, after removal of the fixator, reached a knee flexion of 90 degrees in a shorter time (36 days versus 47 days).

The use of MEF for pelvic support osteotomies seems to be preferable because it is associated with a lower rate of pin tract infections and a higher degree of patient comfort.