The Role of Acetabular and Femoral Osteotomies in Reconstructive Surgery of the Hip: 2005 and Beyond

Femoral and acetabular osteotomies have enduring and useful roles in the ongoing surgical treatment of patients with various hip conditions. The classic indication for intertrochanteric valgus osteotomy is to induce healing of femoral neck nonunions. Additional indications include posttraumatic deformity, limb-length inequality, certain cases of osteonecrosis, and adult sequelae of Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, and slipped capital femoral epiphysis. Isolated intertrochanteric osteotomy is only occasionally indicated for the treatment of arthritis secondary to dysplasia. Rotational osteotomies of the pelvis have overtaken the role once historically played by intertrochanteric osteotomy in the treatment of dysplasia-related hip anomalies. Ideal candidates have prearthritic, activity-related pain associated with radiographic dysplasia. It is imperative that the hip joint be congruous, free of fixed subluxation, and located in the natural acetabulum. Surgical treatment of associated acetabular labral tears and/or detachments and impingement lesions can be done at the same time through antecedent hip arthroscopy (same anesthetic) or open arthrotomy. The direction and magnitude of correction need to be customized to fit the nature of the dysplasia. A standard method of correction likely is to result in unwanted iatrogenic retroversion in some cases. Intertrochanteric osteotomy now is used as a complement to rotational osteotomy for the indications outlined above.