Developmental Dysplasia of Hip

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Developmental Dysplasia of Hip


  • hip may be dislocatable
  • hip may be outside acetabulum but reducible by manipulation
  • most dislocatable hips stable within 3 weeks of birth
  • persistent dislocation in 2 per 100,000 births
  • more common in girls than boys
  • more commonly in left than right
  • 1/3 cases both hips affected
  • familial tendency
  • intrauterine malposition
    • higher than usual incidence of breech presentation
  • postnatal posture important
    • more common in north american indians - legs tightly swaddled in extension
    • least common in Africans - wide abduction

Pathology

  • acetabulum unusually shallow
  • roof slopes too steeply
  • femoral head slides out posteriorly
    • then rides upwards
  • joint capsules stretched
    • may impede reduction
  • maturation of acetabulum and femoral epiphysis is retarded
  • femoral neck unduly anteverted

Clinical Features

Early

Later

  • Unilateral
    • assymetrical skin creases
    • hip does not abduct fully
    • leg slightly short and rotated externally
    • Trendelenburg test positive
  • Bilateral
    • no assymetry
    • waddling gait (may be mistaken for normal toddling)
    • abnormally wide perineal gap
    • abduction limited

 Epidemiology

  • incidence ~1%
  • may be family history
  • more common in
    • females
    • multiple births
    • breech presentations
    • cerebral palsy

Treatment

  • 3-6 months old
    • splinting for at least 3 weeks
  • open reduction for failure of conservative management

Complications

  • waddling gait / limp
  • degenerative hip arthritis
 

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