A Clinical and Radiological Follow-Up Study of Transient Synovitis of the Hip

Transient synovitis of the hip (coxitis simplex, irritable hip, observation hip) is well known in the literature and many papers have been published concerning the diagnosis and clinical features of the disease (among others by Rauch 1940, Colonna 1941, Lucas 1948).There have been discussions about its conceivable importance for later occurrence of osteoarthritis in the affected hip (Harrison, Schajowicz & Trueta 1953, Murray 1965).Few long-term follow-up studies have been published.In 1963 Valderrama reported from a material of 189 children, 23 cases followed for at least 15 years with clinical and radiological examinations.Holenstein (1966) followed 12 out of 37 cases for periods between 5 and 27 years, and Spock (1959) and Adams (1963) have reported series of about 50 cases, each followed for an average of 5 years.(1963) regarded the disease as rather serious since about 50 per cent of 23 cases followed by him showed radiological and clinical symptoms of hip-disease probably related to the previous transient synovitis.He also mentioned that there were more radiological signs than clinical and that adequate investigations into "normal" hip radiograms in patients 20-30 years old are lacking in the literature.Holenstein ( 1966) questioned the benignity of the disease on the basis of 12 cases, out of whom 2 had subjective complaints, 7 ValderramaThe authors are indebted to Dr. K. G. Herrlin, Vejbystrand, for the use of the patients' data in the initial stagcs of the diseases, which he collected in 1949-1952, while working at the Hospital for Sick Children in Giiteborg.This study was supported by grants from Forsta Majblommans Riksforbund and Ulla och Gustaf af Ugglas fond.