[Hip dislocation without fracture--a trauma surgery emergency]

Between 1968 and 1990, 26 patients (medium age 24.2 years) with a traumatic hip dislocation without fracture were treated at the Dept. of Trauma Surgery of the University Erlangen-Nuremberg. Only 26.9% of the patients had no further injuries beside the hip dislocation. An early closed reduction was carried out whenever possible. In 96.0% of the cases, radiological acceptable results have been achieved with the closed reduction. In 4.0% an open reduction became necessary. After a period of three to four weeks of extension, the patients had been mobilized to nonweight bearing status. Stress on the injured leg was increased progressively, that full weight bearing capacity was achieved after three months. It was possible to examine 12 of the 26 patients. Good and very good results based on the Merle d'Aubigné score and on the Thompson and Epstein score were obtained in 11 of the 12 patients. The complication seen most often was posttraumatic coxarthritis of the hip. We have not seen any necroses of the head of femur in our patients to date. All our results indicate, that the immediate and careful reposition under anaesthesia seems to be the most important factor in preventing a necrosis of the head of femur.