title: The Locking Compression Paediatric Hip Plate: technical guide and critical analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Osteotomies of the proximal femur and stable fixation of displaced femoral neck fractures are demanding operations. An LCP Paediatric Hip Plate was developed to make these operations safer and less demanding. The article focuses on the surgical technique and critically analyses the device.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 2006 and 2008, 30 hips in 22 patients underwent surgery. Patients' demographics, perioperative details, postoperative outcome and complications were retrospectively collected and analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients' diagnoses included persistent congenital hip dysplasia (n = 4), neuropathic hip dysplasia (n = 9), idiopathic ante/retroversion (n = 8), femoral neck fracture (n = 3), Perthes' disease (n = 2), deformity after slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE), congenital femoral neck pseudarthrosis, deformity after pelvic tumour resection and malunion following proximal femoral fracture (one each). In 21 of 22 patients, the postoperative radiographs showed corrections as planned. Two cases had to be revised for screw loosening. Intraoperative handling using the plate was excellent in all cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our case series of 30 hip operations, the LCP Paediatric Hip Plate was shown to be safe and applicable in the clinical setting with excellent results and a low complication rate. We consider that the LCP Paediatric Hip Plate is a valuable device for correction of pathological conditions of the proximal femur and for fixation of displaced femoral neck fractures in children. Larger studies should be carried out to better quantify the risk of clinically relevant complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Traumatology and Orthopedics, Children's Hospital, University of Berne, Inselspital, Berne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Joeris
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Audigé
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ziebarth
authors.forename: Theddy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Slongo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017760:Bone Malalignment / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D001860:Bone Plates; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005265:Femoral Neck Fractures / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D017759:Fractures, Malunited / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006618:Hip Dislocation, Congenital / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007873:Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D010027:Osteotomy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D011542:Pseudarthrosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D060048:Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphyses / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery