ABSTRACT
Degenerative arthritis of the hip in young individuals, whether from osteonecrosis or chondrolysis, is a difficult therapeutic problem. The ideal treatment for arthritis would allow for painless range of motion (ROM) without sacrificing future mobility of the joint. In the elderly, total joint arthroplasty is a reasonable solution for arthritis; however, in young individuals total joint arthroplasty is associated with significant problems, including polyethylene wear, loosening, and the need for multiple revisions (1-3). Fusion of the hip joint does relieve pain (4-6,23), but at the expense of ROM and deleterious long-term consequences on surrounding joints (4,6-11). Articulated hinged distraction (AHD) utilizes external fixation to reduce joint forces and allows for the repair of articular cartilage (8,12). AHD takes advantage of the intrinsic capacity of cartilage cells to regenerate in young individuals.
