Legg–Calvé–Perthes Disease

Legg–Calvé–Perthes disease (LCPD) is a pediatric form of idiopathic femoral head osteonecrosis. It most commonly affects boys between the ages of 4 and 8 years old. The pathophysiology is related to the disruption of blood supply to the femoral head and mechanical weakening of the femoral head due to subsequent pathologic repair process. The Waldenström radiographic staging is clinically useful to determine the stage of disease. The general principles of treatment are maintenance of good hip range of motion, decreasing the weightbearing of the weakened femoral head, and containment of the femoral head within the acetabulum. The outcomes are variable and depend on the age of onset of the disease, gender, the extent of femoral head involvement, timing of intervention, and the degree of femoral head deformity and hip congruity at skeletal maturity.