[Epiphyseolysis of the hip joint and prearthrosis (author's transl)]

The question whether disturbances of hormonal regulation influence the development of the hip joint, is examined on the basis of roentgenographs in 25 patients with epiphyseolysis. We can conclude from the numerous collected data that gross anatomy (especially the harmonic development between head and acetabulum) is largely normal. A change of the abductor angle of Debrunner in the sense of a reduction may exercise an unfavorable influence on the load which the entire hip joint has to bear (due to reduction of the lever arm of the musculature with an abductor effect). Besides, hormonal dysregulation produces a very minimal enlargement of the head radius and of the load area as well as of the length of the neck of the femur c, which may possibly become biomechanically manifest. The slight change in shape of the entire pelvic girdle is reminiscent of the late form of osteoarthrosis of the hip (coxarthrosis) on the basis of a so-called enchondral dysostosis. The working hypothesis according to which this normal dysostosis would in fact be a late form of epiphyseolysis, remains unconfirmed.