The hip joint There are 2 ways of making this correction The hip joint consists of the thigh bone Wedge osteotomy (femur) and the hip bone (pelvis). It is a • ball and socket joint, where the ball (or • Derotational osteotomy The exposed bone femoral head) should fit in the socket ends are lined up (acetabulum) in the pelvis. When your child is asleep under anaesthetic a cut is made in the skin on the outside of the hip. The femoral head (ball joint) is placed in the centre of the acetabulum (hip socket). then secured back together using a The femoral bone metal plate and (thigh bone) is then screws. The skin is cut through. A wedge then closed. of bon e is removed, Aim of Femoral Osteotomy This sur gery is undertaken to correct the Pain relief position of the femoral head within the hip socket (acetabulum). It can be used in the Wedge O steotomy Your child will be prescribed suitable pain treatment of Perthes Disease or relief so he/she is comfortable after the Developmental Dysplasia of the hip. It operation. may also be used to correct rotational deformities (twisting). After surgery or the bone rotated depending Your child will be nursed in bed with on the correction simple skin traction, or the leg supported What is Femoral Osteotomy? required. in slings, or a hip spica plaster that will Femoral = of the femur (thigh bone). have been put on in theatre. This keeps the leg in its correct position. It Osteotomy = a surgical operation to cut a also helps to reduce pain by resting the bone followed by realignment of the bone Derotational hip joint and reducing muscle spasm. ends to allow healing. Osteotomy Skin traction When you leave the hospital yo u will be given an outpatient appointment for 2 The traction is applied to the legs with weeks time. An X -ray is then taken to bandages and weights are attached to the check the position of the hip and, if your end of the traction. Your child will h ave to child has a plaster this is checked. After stay in bed while on traction. It may be this your child will have regular clinic kept on for up to 2 weeks, as decided by appointments. the consultant. If you have any concerns or questions, Slings please contact: The Paediatric Orthopaedic Two canvas slings are placed under the Nurse Practitioners on affected leg and attached to a spring 023 8079 4991 system lifting the leg a small amount off or the bed. This allows th e hip to gently Switchboard on 023 8077 7222 movewith the movement of the spring. Ask for bleep No. 2641 or FEMORAL ward G3 on 023 8079 6486 OSTEOTOMY Hip spica A hip spica is a plaster of paris cast that covers the child’s body from below the nipple line down to the ankle on the side that has been operated on, and to the knee on the other leg. It is cut out around the perineum so your child can go to the toilet. This plaster is worn for about 6 weeks or until an X -ray shows that the bone has joined. FAMILY INFORMATION N.B Pictures of the above are available LEAFLET Written by: Liz Wright/Julia Judd Paediatric Orthopaedic Nurse Practitioners August 2002 Discharge information Revised Nov 2004 Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust .