Bone growth after fixing slipped femoral epiphyses: Brief report

Early closure of the growth plate after fixing a slipped upper femoral epiphysis is often regarded as favourable since, if growth of the femoral neck continues, the metal may lose its grip on the epiphysis with the possibility of further slipping. However, in the young child early fusion may result in leg length discrepancy and limited motion. The hook-pin (Hansson 1982) permits continued growth of the femoral neck without the risk of further slipping, as illustrated in the following cases.