We reviewed the long-term results of 34 transtrochanteric curved varus osteotomies that had been performed for advanced subluxated osteoarthrosis of the hip. Subjects conprised one male (two hips) and twenty-four female patients (thirty-two hips); the mean age at the time of the operation was 44 years (range, 31 to 53 years). The average duration of follow-up was 14.4 years (range, 10 to 20 years). All hips were evaluated preoperatively and at the time of the latest follow-up according to the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) clinical hip scoring system. Measurement of acetabular roof obliquity and center-edge (CE) angle was made on the preoperative radiographs and the influence of acetabular coverage on the clinical results was studied.
The average JOA clinical score improved from 60.7 points preoperatively to 76.4 points. Most of the improvement in the score was due to pain relief. Fifteen of 34 (44%) had a good or excellent result, and nineteen hips (56%) had a fair or poor result. Five hips (three patients) failed and a total hip replacement was performed.
Clinical results correlated well with the extent of preoperative acetabular coverage. The hips with less than 30 degrees of acetabular roof obliquity on the preoperative radiographs achieved better results than those with more than 30 degrees of obliquity. The hips with more than 0 degrees of CE angle also gained better results than those with a CE angle of less than 0 degrees.