Conditions of the hip associated with hemoglobinopathies

ABSTRACT

In the Western hemisphere where malaria and parasitic infection is rare, the complications of the abnormal hemoglobins are those essentially of infarction. Hyperplastic changes never reach the extent seen in West Africa, infection is a less serious problem, patients survive into adult life and the hip joint produces a large proportion of the orthopedically crippled. Treatment follows the same lines which would be adopted in a patient with avascular necrosis of the femoral head with normal hemoglobin. The prognosis is worse because the age of onset is usually later resulting in slower and less complete restoration to normalcy. Special care in the general management of patients during operations is essential, particularly the avoidance of excessive blood loss or anoxia which may precipitate a crisis (summary)