Legg-Calve-Perthes disease (osteochondrosis of the femoral head) has been recognized in archaeological material for nearly a century but is extremely rare. We describe two Czech cases from archaeological findings. The first case was diagnosed in the skeleton of a man older than 50 years with the left hip affected. The skeleton was in grave Number 2 of the Langobard cemetery at Luzice (Moravia) and dated to the end of the fifth century and the beginning of the sixth century AD. The second case was described by J. Chochol in 1957 on the left femur and half of the pelvis of a skeleton from an archaeological investigation in Brandysek (Bohemia), ninth to tenth centuries AD. Using the diagnostic criteria of Ortner and Putschar, we excluded slipped capital femoral epiphysis in both cases. We discuss the differential diagnosis of Legg-Calve-Perthes disease versus unilateral and bilateral osteochondroses of the femoral head in archaeological and current clinical material.
- MeSH
- Archaeology MeSH
- History, Medieval MeSH
- Femur Head pathology radiography MeSH
- Hip Joint pathology radiography MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Paleopathology MeSH
- Pelvis pathology radiography MeSH
- Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease history pathology radiography MeSH
- Check Tag
- History, Medieval MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Publication type
- Historical Article MeSH
- Geographicals
- Czech Republic MeSH
