THE CONTRALATERAL HIP IN SLIPPED CAPITAL FEMORAL EPIPHYSIS

The risk of contralateral slipping in slipped capital femoral epiphysi s (SCFE) has been estimated to be 40-80% in follow-up examinations. Be fore age 50 years, 25% of the contralateral hips with untreated slippi ng showed arthrosis, some severe. In the same longterm follow-up, no h ip with mild or moderate slipping treated with pinning in situ had dev eloped severe arthrosis at that age, indicating the risk of arthrosis in the contralateral hip in SCFE can be reduced by prophylactic pinnin g. Prophylactic pinning also diminishes the need for repeated radiogra phical examination during the remaining growth period. Provided that a technique with a low complication rate is used, prophylactic pinning of the contralateral hip is recommended in all cases of SCFE.