1. In an old congenital dislocation of the hip in an adult, an adequate shelf operation will, in a high percentage of cases, establish an adequate dome of bone over the femoral head and relieve symptoms.
2. In congenital subluxation of the hip, or acetabular dysplasia and coxa magna, in an adult without advanced degenerative changes, an adequate shelf may alleviate symptoms and delay the development of further degenerative changes. Under these circumstances this procedure may have value as both a prophylactic and a therapeutic measure.
3. In malum coxae senilis or coxa magna with advanced degenerative changes a shelf may be indicated for the relief of pains when more extensive reconstructive surgery is inadvisable. However, only two patienits in this series were treated in this fashion.