Establish the frequency of osteoarthritis in our service an establish an adequate therapeutic protocol.
It is about a retro and prospective study realised from January 2001 till January 2004 on all the 0 to 15 years old children treated and followed in the service for osteoarthritis. Ten patients having no complete file or having disappeared during the study were excluded.
41 cases of osteoarthritis brought together in 26 boys and 15 girls. It occupied 0.8% of the hospitalization and 1.14% of the surgical activities. The average age of our patients was of 4.58 years+/-4.41 with extremes going from 0 to 15 years old. The noted facilitating factor was sickle cell disease (70.7%). The hip was the most affected articulation (48.8%). The staphylococcus was the most met germ (48.8%).
A meticulous examination of a child presenting an articular pain and its management within a better time are necessary to avoid the frequent invalidating sequel in our country.