• ABSTRACT
    • Charts and radiographs of 78 patients with slipped capital femoral epiphysis were reviewed. During the retrospective study period, 1990 to 1993, 16 patients had acute or acute-on-chronic slips; 21 hips were involved. Nine hips were acute and 12 hips were acute-on-chronic slips. No patient reported endocrinopathy or other systemic illness. All hips were fixed with a single 7-mm cannulated screw. No attempts were made for reduction. The lateral head-shaft angle (preoperative, postoperative, and at followup) was measured as was the position of the screw (postoperative and followup). Physeal closure in 19 hips occurred at a mean of 9.6 months. Two additional patients did not return for followup until 30 and 36 months after surgery. At closure, there was no significant change in head-shaft angle from preoperative position. No cases of avascular necrosis or chondrolysis were seen in this series. Seventeen of the 21 hips had an excellent functional result. Three hips had a good result and 1 had a poor result. There was a tendency for poor pin position and less satisfactory results to be associated. It is concluded that single screw fixation is adequate for treating uncomplicated acute and acute-on-chronic slipped capital femoral epiphyses.