My nephew has been diagnosed with unstable slipped capital femoral epiphysis. What does unstable mean. and how do they fix this?

Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) is a condition that can affect older children and young adolescents. The capital epiphysis (growth plate) at the top of the femur (thighbone) slips.

The head of the femur should sit squarely on the femoral neck. When it slips, the hip can collapse and/or become deformed. This situation is considered unstable.

To prevent this from happening, surgery is often needed. The goal of surgery is to stop any further slippage of the capital femoral epiphysis. The less slip, the lower the risk of problems in the hip during the child’s life.

Until the surgery is done, the hip remains unstable. The child must use crutches and keep activities to a minimum. The method used most often to stop the epiphysis from slipping further is to place a large screw into the epiphysis to hold it in place. The child will continue to use crutches and may be able to put some weight on that side.

X-rays are used to monitor the stability of the hip. When it looks like the capital ephiphysis is starting to fuse, then the hip is stable, and the crutches are often discontinued.