[Legg-Calve-Perthes disease. Updated review]

Abstract

Legg-Calve-Perthes disease affects the development of the child's hip. Although we know that is produced by aseptic necrosis of the femoral head, the cause of such necrosis is really unknown. Conventional radiology does not permit an early diagnosis; for this reason more advanced diagnostic techniques are needed. The timing of the diagnosis determines the degree of impact in the hip and has importance for the type of treatment to be applied, and the possible complications that the patient may develop. The aim of this work is to make the general practitioner aware of this disease and to take it into consideration when examining a child with problems related to the hip, and in order to make a correct differential diagnosis with conditions that have similar symptoms, because the final outcome will depend on how quickly the diagnosis was established and also the treatment.