BACKGROUND: Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease is a childhood hip disorder that may 
result in a deformed and poorly functioning hip. The purpose of this study was 
to evaluate the correlation between hip deformity at skeletal maturity and 
degenerative osteoarthritis and to present the long-term results of proximal 
femoral varus derotational osteotomy in Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease.
METHODS: We analyzed the results of 40 patients (43 hips), who underwent 
proximal femoral varus derotational osteotomy for Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease in 
our institution between 1959 and 1983. All available patients underwent a single 
long-term follow-up examination. Hips were classified with the classification 
system of Stulberg. Osteoarthritis was evaluated using the Tönnis 
classification. The long-term outcomes were evaluated after a mean follow-up 
period of 33 years.
RESULTS: When examining the outcome using the Stulberg classification system, 
there were 8 Stulberg class I hips (19.5%), 15 Stulberg class II hips (36.6%), 8 
Stulberg class III hips (19.5%), 9 Stulberg class IV hips (22%), and 1 Stulberg 
class V hip (2.4%). One patient, who had a bilateral Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease, 
underwent total hip replacement for osteoarthritis. Seven patients had poor 
clinical results.
CONCLUSIONS: Proximal femoral varus derotational osteotomy provides good 
long-term results for Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease. The Stulberg classification is 
a good predictor for patient outcome.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, therapeutic study.