Developmental coxa vara: observations on the result of treatment in this infrequent deformity

Developmental coxa vara is an infrequent deformity found in children. A review of records at a busy teaching institution over a 36 year period revealed the diagnosis of only 18 cases. Thirteen hips underwent surgical correction. In this series a subtrochanteric femoral osteotomy was the treatment of choice. Followup of the surgically treated patients through skeletal maturity ranged from four to 15 years; a gain in leg length, and increase in hip motion, with elimination of a positive Trendelenburg gait, frequently was noted. This limp, though reduced, persisted in all instances. Premature closure of the proximal capital femoral epiphysis was noted postoperatively in five cases. While the specific cause of this early epiphyseal closure remains unknown, several possibilities are discussed.