Complications of Pemberton's pericapsular osteotomy. A report of two cases

Pemberton's pericapsular osteotomy has been performed since 1970 at the authors' institution on 56 hips in 49 patients. Two complications, obturator dislocation and osteonecrosis of the femoral head, occurred. A ten-year-old girl had an obturator dislocation that was recognized six weeks postoperatively. This dislocation probably occurred because the reduction of the acetabular dysplasia and the varus osteotomy were excessive in degree. Osteonecrosis of the femoral head was recognized in a 13-year-old girl six weeks postoperatively. This complication probably occurred because too much pressure was imposed on the femoral head, which had been dislocated for a long time and whose circumstances changed suddenly.