Slotted acetabular augmentation: Is a hip spica necessary?

Between 1988 and 1996, 16 patients who underwent a total of 18 slotted acet abular augmentation procedures were managed postoperatively without a spica cast, by using instead a protocol of limited weight bearing and restrictio n of hip range of motion. Postoperatively, no patients experienced hip stif fness. No patients exhibited any migration or change of position of their b one graft. Radiographic examination revealed the following: center-edge ang le (CEA) averaged 3 degrees preoperatively and 54 degrees postoperatively. Acetabular index averaged 35 degrees preoperatively and 18 degrees postoper atively. No patients experienced any deleterious effects by not using a spi ca cast. We believe that by obviating the spica cast, we may ease the posto perative recovery for patients, avoid postoperative hip stiffness, and ther eby expand the applications of this safe and reliable method of acetabular reconstruction in selected patients.