BACKGROUND:

It is not clear whether a Chiari pelvic osteotomy performed for the treatment of advanced osteoarthritis can delay the need for total hip arthroplasty. We present the mid-term results of the Chiari pelvic osteotomy performed for the treatment of Tönnis grade-3 osteoarthritis (large cysts, severe narrowing of the joint space, or severe deformity or necrosis of the head with extensive osteophyte formation), with a particular focus on whether this procedure can delay the need for total hip arthroplasty.

METHODS:

We followed thirty-two hips in thirty-one patients with Tönnis grade-3 osteoarthritis who had refused total hip arthroplasty and had been treated with a Chiari pelvic osteotomy. The mean age at the time of surgery was 35.2 years. The mean duration of follow-up was 11.2 years, at which time clinical evaluation with the Harris hip score and radiographic evaluation were performed.

RESULTS:

The average Harris hip score improved from 52 points preoperatively to 77 points at the time of follow-up; the average pain score improved from 20 to 31 points. Three hips with a hip score of <70 points required totalhip arthroplasty. With a hip score of <70 points as the end point, the cumulative rate of survival at ten years was 72%. The clinical outcome was significantly influenced by the preoperative center-edge angle (p = 0.004), the preoperative acetabular head index (p = 0.039), achievement of the appropriate osteotomy level (p = 0.011), and superior migration (p = 0.009) and lateral migration (p = 0.026) of the femoral head.

CONCLUSIONS:

Although the clinical results were inferior to those of total hip arthroplasty, Chiari pelvic osteotomy may be an option for young patients with advanced osteoarthritis who prefer a joint-conserving procedure to total hip arthroplasty and accept a clinical outcome that is predicted to be less optimal than that of total hip arthroplasty. Moderate dysplasia and moderate subluxation without complete obliteration of the joint space and a preoperative centeredge angle of at least 10° are desirable selection criteria.