[Conservative containment in the treatment of Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease]

The article presents results of the conservative containment treatment by means of abduction splint the Scottish Rite Hospital--Atlanta: achieved in the group of 21 children three to eight years old. The mean duration of the observation is 27 month (12 to 48 month). In 13 cases (62 per cent) the treatment was done merely by the application of the abduction splint, in 9 cases the application of the splint represented a preparatory phase for the surgical treatment according to the principles of containment. For the main objective of the treatment the authors consider the necessity of the preservation of the spherical shape of the head or remodellation of the head already deformed into the original shape. They test the course and successfulness of the treatment by means of arthrography or magnetic resonance. For the determination of further treatment the contribution of these examinations is comparable. Magnetic resonance is moreover able to determine an exact range of the affection of the head including also minimum changes in the contralateral joint.