A case of spontaneous hip dislocation that occurred during radiation therapy

Currently, radiation therapy is widely used for the treatment and palliation of metastatic bone disease in both adults and children. Recent advances in radiation therapy, such as intensity-modulated radiation therapy, have led to more focused treatments and fewer adverse effects. Although radiation therapy has been associated with several musculoskeletal effects in the growing child, hip dislocation during a course of radiation therapy has not been reported. We report a case of a 12-year-old girl who presented with metastatic bone disease, and developed a hip dislocation during radiation therapy. Possible causes are discussed in detail and a thorough literature review is presented.