The management of slipped capital femoral epiphysis.

The treatment for most patients with slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) is well established but controversy remains as to how to manage the more difficult cases. The advent of fixation by a single cannulated screw has made this the operation of choice. The morbidity is considerably less than that with any of its predecessors, but the optimum timing for treatment remains uncertain, particularly in the management of unstable and severe slipped epiphyses. Delay in diagnosis continues to be the single most important factor associated with a poor outcome.