One-stage combined surgery with or without preoperative traction for developmental dislocation of the hip in older children.

PURPOSE To compare one-stage combined surgery with and without preoperative traction, in older children with developmental dislocation of the hip (DDH). METHODS Records of 9 children who underwent combined surgery for DDH with preoperative traction in 12 hips (group 1) and 12 undergoing the same procedure without preoperative traction in 16 hips (group 2) were retrospectively reviewed. The surgery consisted of open reduction, Salter's innominate osteotomy and femoral shortening with derotation varus osteotomy. The mean age of the patients at the time of operation was 5.8 years. The mean follow-up period was 5.9 years. RESULTS At final follow-up, clinical outcome in group 1 was worse than that in group 2, though radiographic assessment demonstrated no significant difference between the groups. CONCLUSION One-stage combined surgery without preoperative traction is effective in the treatment of DDH in older children, and has a lower complication rate, but radiographically the groups did not differ.