Management of Hip Disorders in Patients With Cerebral Palsy

Hip disorders are common in patients with cerebral palsy and cover a wide clinical spectrum, from the hip at risk to subluxation, dislocation, and dislocation with degeneration and pain. Although the hip is normal at birth, a combination of muscle imbalance and bony deformity leads to progressive dysplasia. The spasticity or contracture usually involves the adductor and iliopsoas muscles; thus, the majority of hips subluxate in a posterosuperior direction. Many patients with untreated dislocations develop pain by early adulthood. Because physical examination alone is unreliable, an anteroposterior radiograph of the pelvis is required for diagnosis. Soft-tissue lengthening is recommended for children as soon as discernable hip subluxation (hip abduction 25%) is recognized. One-stage comprehensive hip reconstruction is effective treatment for children 4 years of age or older who have a migration index >60% but who have not yet developed advanced degenerative changes of the femoral head. Salvage options for the skeletally mature patient with a neglected hip are limited.