Slipped upper femoral epiphysis. A retrospective, clinical and radiological study of fixation with a single screw.

We conducted a retrospective, clinical and radiological study of fixation with a single screw in slipped upper femoral epiphysis. Forty children (53 hips) who had a slipped upper femoral epiphysis were managed by in-situ pinning with a single cannulated screw. The average age of these patients was 12.7 years and their average weight was above the 50th centile at the time of diagnosis. There were three acute slips, eight acute-on-chronic slips and 35 chronic slips. They were followed for an average of 2 years. Fifty-eight percent of patients had an excellent clinical result, 36% a good result, 4% a fair result and 2% a poor result. The complication rate was 5.3%. Our experience with single cannulated screw fixation of slipped upper femoral epiphysis is encouraging. No complications resulted from the choice of the fixation device.