Question

A five-year-old child presents to a clinic with right inner thigh and groin pain that radiates to the knee. The parents report to an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) that activity aggravates the pain, but rest relieves it. The APRN notes the child's Trendelenburg gait. Radiographic examination confirms a diagnosis of Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (LCPD).

What is the pathologic cause of this disorder?

Answer 1

Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (LCPD) is caused by a disruption of blood flow to the femoral head, leading to avascular necrosis of the hip.

Step-by-step explanation:

The pathologic cause of Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (LCPD) is the disruption of blood flow to the femoral head, which leads to avascular necrosis (death of bone tissue due to lack of blood supply) in the hip joint. This condition commonly presents in children ages 4 to 8 and is characterized by pain in the inner thigh and groin that radiates to the knee. A Trendelenburg gait is often observed, where the child lunges towards the affected side during walking, due to weakness in the hip abductor muscles on that side. Rest tends to relieve the pain, while activity aggravates it, because the damaged hip joint is stressed during movement. Radiographic examination is necessary to confirm the diagnosis of LCPD.

Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (LCPD) is a condition characterized by a decreased blood supply to the femoral head, which leads to avascular necrosis of the bone. The exact cause of LCPD is unknown, but it is believed to be multifactorial, involving both genetic and environmental factors. The decreased blood supply to the femoral head causes the bone to become weak and prone to fracture, leading to the characteristic symptoms of pain in the inner thigh and groin that radiates to the knee, worsened by activity and relieved by rest.