ISOLATED TRAUMATIC DISLOCATION OF THE HIP - LONG-TERM RESULTS IN 50 PATIENTS

From 1974 to 1989, we treated 50 patients with a simple dislocation of the hip: 38 were posterior dislocations and 12 were anterior. All dis locations primarily treated at our hospital were reduced by closed met hods within three hours (mean 85 minutes (10 to 180)) and 43 were revi ewed after an average follow-up of 8 years (2 to 17). It is widely hel d that isolated hip dislocation reduced within six hours gives an exce llent outcome, but we found a significant number of complications. The re were radiological signs of partial avascular necrosis in two, mild osteoarthritis in seven, and moderate degeneration in two. Heterotopic ossification was seen in four patients, but 29 of 33 MRI examinations were normal. Objective evaluation according to the Thompson and Epste in (1951) criteria showed fair and poor results in 3 of 12 anterior di slocations, but in 16 of 30 posterior dislocations. In six of the seve n patients with no other severe injury, the hip had an excellent or go od result; in only three of the eight patients with severe multiple in juries was this the case. The important factors in the long-term progn osis appear to be the direction of the dislocation and the overall sev erity of injuries.