Bioabsorbable pin versus kirschner wire fixation in the salter innominate osteotomy for the treatment of developmental dysplasia of the hip.

PurposeTo evaluate the clinical and radiological effects of bio-pin versus Kirschner wire (K-wire) fixation in Salter innominate osteotomy (SIO) for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH).MethodsThis retrospective comparative study included patients aged 1-5 years who underwent SIO for DDH between 2021 and 2024. Patients were divided according to fixation method: bio-pin fixation (Group 1, 15 hips) and K-wire fixation (Group 2, 14 hips). Tönnis classification, acetabular index (AI), acetabular depth ratio (ADR), and International Hip Dysplasia Institute (IHDI) classification were evaluated preoperatively, immediately postoperatively, at three and six months, and at final follow-up. Postoperative complications were examined.ResultsTwenty-seven patients (29 hips) were included: 14 patients (15 hips) in Group 1 and 13 patients (14 hips) in Group 2. No substantial variations were seen between groups concerning age, sex, operated side, complication rates, or follow-up time (p>0.05). Both groups showed significant improvement in AI and ADR during follow-up (p<0.001). At final follow-up, mean AI was 26.09±1.96° in Group 1 and 24.04±4.33° in Group 2 (p=0.117), while mean ADR was 204.9 ± 23.7 and 219.1 ± 28.5, respectively (p=0.167). Avascular necrosis was the most common complication, occurring in two hips in Group 1 and four hips in Group 2. No implant-related complications were observed.ConclusionBioabsorbable pin fixation provided radiological outcomes comparable to K-wire fixation following SIO for DDH. Although no implant-related complications were identified, the small sample size and limited follow-up warrant cautious interpretation. Further studies with larger cohorts and longer follow-up are needed.