HIP DISLOCATION WITHOUT FRACTURE - A SURG ICAL EMERGENCY

Between 1968 and 1990, 26 patients (medium age 24.2 years) with a trau matic hip dislocation without fracture were treated at the Dept. of Tr auma Surgery of the University Erlangen-Nuremberg. Only 26.9% of the p atients had no further injuries beside the hip dislocation. An early c losed reduction was carried out whenever possible. In 96.0% of the cas es, radiological acceptable results have been achieved with the closed reduction. In 4.0% an open reduction became necessary. After a period of three to four weeks of extension, the patients had been mobilized to nonweight bearing status. Stress on the injured leg was increased p rogressively, that full weight bearing capacity was achieved after thr ee months. It was possible to examine 12 of the 26 patients. Good and very good results based on the Merle d'Aubigne score and on the Thomps on and Epstein socre were obtained in 11 of the 12 patients. The compl ication seen most often was posttraumatic coxarthritis of the hip. We have not seen any necroses of the head of femur in our patients to dat e. All our results indicate, that the immediate and careful reposition under anaesthesia seems to be the most important factor in preventing a necrosis of the head of femur.