Dynamics of hip joint remodeling after Chiari osteotomy: 10 patients with neuromuscular disease followed for 8 years

We analyzed the development of 10 hips in 10 consecutive patients with neuromuscular disease (9 with spasticity, 1 with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease) who had undergone Chiari osteotomy for painful hip subluxation or dislocation. The patients were 11 (5-19) years old at surgery and follow-up time was 8 (6-11) years. The Chiari osteotomy particularly improved and maintained femoral head coverage. These parameters did not show the postoperative deterioration noted in some other studies. The osteotomy did not improve femoral head lateral displacement. Throughout the postoperative period, the configuration of the proximal femur and the height of the joint cartilage were unchanged and undisturbed, indicating that osteotomy did not place excessive or uneven pressure on the femoral head. The ambulatory status of the patients was dependent on the severity of the underlying disease, and was not improved by osteotomy. However, pain associated with subluxation or dislocation was reduced in 9 of the patients.