Subtrochanteric valgus osteotomy with monolateral external fixator in hips for patients with severe cerebral palsy

Subtrochanteric valgus osteotomy has been used for painful hip joint dislocation in patients with severe cerebral palsy. The goal of this study was to evaluate 11 patients (17 hips) with severe cerebral palsy who had chronically dislocated and painful hips treated with subtrochanteric valgus osteotomy using a monolateral external fixator. A retrospective review was performed of 11 patients (average age, 17.8 years) with severe quadriplegic cerebral palsy with flexion-adduction contractures due to chronically dislocated and painful hips. A subtrochanteric valgus osteotomy with a monolateral fixator was performed in all patients. Patients were analyzed clinicoradiologically, and caregivers were asked about ease of handling, transfers, and perineal care. At an average follow-up of 37 months (range, 14-72 months), all caregivers were satisfied with the surgery and felt that their child was more comfortable and could sit with support for a longer time period and that perineal care, wheelchair mobilization, and transfers were much easier. A total of 11 complications in 7 patients were observed, including pin-tract infections, delayed consolidation, abduction deformity, and hypostatic pneumonia. The complication rate of subtrochanteric valgus osteotomy was comparable with other methods, and this method had the advantage of shorter surgical time, ease of application, no internal implant with lesser chance of infection or heterotopic calcification, and less intraoperative blood loss with less morbidity.