[Perthes disease after successfully treated acute juvenile lymphoblastic leukemia]

The manifestation of Perthes disease after succesfully treated lymphoblastic leukemia is extremely rare. At the first signs of a femoral head necrosis--sonsidering the basic disease--and after cortisone treatment one has to think of a possible femoral head necrosis. It has been observed by several authors after long-term cortison therapy. The case of a 7 year old boy with Perthes disease after acute lymphatic leukemia is demonstrated. After treatment with chemotherapy, cortisone and radiation of the head he was free of pain for 2 years, then the Perthes disease became manifest with a deformed femural head. It could be cured but operation is necessary now or at the latest after termination of growth. In the case there seems to be no connexion between cortisone treatment and the manifestation of Perthes disease. It is more probable that this developed independently of the basic disease and its successful treatment because of the unilateral affection of the hip joint and the interval between treatment of leukemia and manifestion of the first symptoms of Perthes disease.