OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of conservative treatment of slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) and the complications due to the progression of the slip. METHODS: 18 patients (26 hips) seen consecutively from December 1996 to August 2006 at the Orthopedics Service of Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, referred from other services with a SCFE diagnosis and treated without surgery were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Slip progression was observed in 19 hips (73%). Among the mild cases, 8 remained mild, four turned moderate and one became severe according to Southwick classification. Four out of the six originally moderate cases became severe and the two already severe cases worsened. Conclusion: Despite there being a consensus regarding the use of surgical treatment to prevent SCFE progression, some cases are still being treated conservatively. This represents a grave error, since it increases the morbidity of the disease.
Epiphyses, Slipped; Therapeutics; Natural history of diseases
