A 24-year-old woman presented with an 11-year history of bilateral hip pain. Radiographs of the hips revealed severe bilateral
slipped upper femoral epiphyses; the left side was more severely slipped than the right. While moving the hips under fluoroscopy
we observed motion at the physes and reproduced the patient’s pain; the motion confirmed the diagnosis of chronic slipped
capital femoral epiphysis. Endocrinology tests showed hypothyroidism. After 1 year of thyroxin therapy, the patient’s pain
subsided and radiographs of the hips showed fusion of the physes. This case emphasizes the importance of screening for an
endocrine disorder in patients with slipped capital femoral epiphysis particularly in adults and shows fusion can occur once
the underlying endocrine abnormality is treated.
Each author certifies that his or her institution has approved the human protocol for this investigation, that all investigations
were conducted in conformity with ethical principles of research.