The Clinical Study of Transient Synovitis of the Hip Joint in Children

Rhee, Seung Koo; Kim, In; Shim, Chul Hwan; Shim, Kie Yoon

Abstract

One of a fairly common cause of painful hips in children is the transient synovitis which subcide in short time by bed rest. This transient synovitis is also called as observation hip, irritable hip, coxitis serosa seu simplex, transitory hip arthritis, transitory coxitis, acute transient epiphysitis, toxic synovitis, and intermittent hydrathrosis etc. It is not clear what is the exact cause of transient synovitis but many authors agree infection, trauma and allergic conditions can be cause of that disease. The disease is of interest, not because it is a disabling condition, but because of the difficulties encountered in differentiating it from more serious disease of the hip such as Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, tuberculosis, osteomyelitis and etc. Of the 67 cases so diagnosed at the catholic medical college from 1975 to, 1980, 30 were reviewed and reported. Following observation were made: 1. The main symptom was pain of sudden onset in the region of the hip joint with a limp on the: affected side. 2. The patients mean age was 7.4 yrs and the sex ratio of boy & girl revealed 1. 7:1. 3. Radiological abnormalities of the soft tissue shadow of the affected hip joint was noted at 24 cases (80%), among them the gluteal sign(50%) are more prominent than others Bone scanning with Tc was performed at 13 cases. Increased uptake density of radio-active isotopes found at 6 cases (46%). 4. The treatment was conservative including bed rest, skin traction on the affected leg, non weight bearing, antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drug. 5. Two hips among them revealed later as s Legg-Calve-Perthes disease and tuberculous arthritis of hip joint.