Our experience in Morscher Osteotomy

Background: Coxa brevis of the hip results in a morphologic change of the proximal femur creating pain and fatigue, leg-length discrepancy, and altered gait. The most common cause is a growth alteration of the proximal femoral physis secondary to ischemic necrosis of the proximal femoral epiphysis. The purpose of this case report study is to evaluate our intermediate results of patients treated by Morscher’s osteotomy

Methods: We reviewed clinical and radiographic results of 9 patients (9 hips) who were treated by Morscher osteotomy in the Galilee Medical Center. All had Perthes disease. The median age at surgery was 15 years. The median follow-up period was 3 years. All patients were evaluated clinically by means of Harris Hip Score (HHS) before and after surgery.

Results: Preoperative clinical examination revealed that all patients had a limp and a positive Trendelenburg test. Radiografic exams were analyzed. Median HHS was 70.1. Postoperatively, the Trendelenburg test was negative in 5 hips and positive in 4 hips. Postoperative median HHS was 89.5 . Leg length discrepancy was reduced in all hips. Overall patient satisfaction level was good-excellent in 7 patients, fair in 1, and bad in 1 patients.

Conclusions: Morscher osteotomy can be successful treatment option in restoring the normal hip biomechanics by restitution of length of the femoral neck and limb length inequality, and improving the lever arm of the abductor mechanism.