Introduction The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical, radiographic short-term results and complications after surgical hip dislocation in young patients (<= 18 years). Materials and methods Clinical and radiographic outcomes were assessed in patients who underwent a surgical hip dislocation Ganz-type approach between 2008 and 2012. Diagnosis included Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, slipped capital femoral epiphysis, femoroacetabular impingement, osteonecrosis of the femoral head, multiple hereditary exostoses and pigmented villonodular synovitis. Clinical data, the modified Harris hip score, nonarthritic hip score, 12-item short form health survey, the Stulberg classification, morphometric indexes, signs of osteonecrosis and osteoarthrosis were used for the evaluation. Results After a mean 3 years follow-up (range 0.5-6 years), 53 hips (51 patients) were evaluated. The most common diagnoses were Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, slipped capital femoral epiphysis, femoroacetabular impingement and multiple hereditary exostoses. Mean age at surgery was 14 years (range 10-18 years). Through this approach femoral head-neck osteoplasty, Dunn-type osteotomy, labrum refixation, synovectomy, femoral head mosaicplasty open reduction and fixation for slipped capital femoral epiphysis were performed, finally in association with pelvic or intertrochanteric osteotomy. At follow-up, better outcome scores were obtained, progression of the osteonecrosis of the femoral head was observed in four cases and three further patients required the implant of a total hip prosthesis. Conclusions After 3 years follow-up, results are comparable to previous studies and patients have a high rate of satisfaction, however the effectiveness of those procedures have to be proved on the long term. Results and complications seem to be related with preoperative lesion(s) and type of treatment.