Developmental dysplasia of the hip: What has changed in the last 20 years?

Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) describes the spectrum of structural abnormalities that involve the growing hip. Early diagnosis and treatment is critical to provide the best possible functional outcome. Persistence of hip dysplasia into adolescence and adulthood may result in abnormal gait, decreased strength and increased rate of degenerative hip and knee joint disease. Despite efforts to recognize and treat all cases of DDH soon after birth, diagnosis is delayed in some children, and outcomes deteriorate with increasing delay of presentation. Different screening programs for DDH were implicated. The suspicion is raised based on a physical examination soon after birth. Radiography and ultrasonography are used to confirm the diagnosis. The role of other imaging modalities, such as magnetic resonance imaging, is still undetermined; however, extensive research is underway on this subject. Treatment depends on the age of the patient and the reducibility of the hip joint. At an early age and up to 6 mo, the main treatment is an abduction brace like the Pavlik harness. If this fails, closed reduction and spica casting is usually done. After the age of 18 mo, treatment usually consists of open reduction and hip reconstruction surgery. Various treatment protocols have been proposed. We summarize the current practice for detection and treatment of DDH, emphasizing updates in screening and treatment during the last two decades.

Varus derotation osteotomy for the treatment of hip subluxation and dislocation in GMFCS level III to V patients with unilateral hip involvement. Follow-up at skeletal maturity.

PURPOSE: Hip displacement is common in children with cerebral palsy (CP). The risk of hip displacement is related to gross motor function level as graded with the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). Most clinicians agree that surgical treatment is indicated for progressive hip subluxation in patients with CP. However, it is unclear whether unilateral bony surgery and musculotenduous release is effective in cases in which the contralateral hip is well seated. The purpose of this study is to describe the fate of the original and the contralateral hip of severely involved patients with CP, GMFCS III to V, with unilateral hip subluxation or dislocation treated by unilateral femoral osteotomy with or without pelvic osteotomy along with unilateral or bilateral soft tissue release when the contralateral hip was well seated followed to skeletal maturity. METHODS: A continuous group of GMFCS III to V CP patients with unilateral hip subluxation or dislocation who underwent soft tissue release (adductor and iliopsoas) and unilateral intertrochanteric varus, rotation and shortening osteotomy with or without pelvic osteotomy are included. All patients were clinically and radiologically followed from the time of presentation until skeletal maturity. RESULTS: Twenty-seven children and adolescents with GMFCS level III, IV, and V met the inclusion criteria. Two patients (7.4%) were GMFCS III, 5 (18.5%) were GMFCS IV and 20 (74.1%) GMFCS V. The male:female ratio was almost 1 (13 boys and 14 girls). At the time of chart and radiograph review, the average age of this patient group was 20.4 years (range: 14 to 25 y). Twelve patients (44%) required subsequent bony surgical management of the contralateral hip for subluxation or dislocation after the index procedure. Initially, in all cases there was pelvic obliquity with the operative side higher, which reversed in cases in which the contralateral hip deteriorated, and did not reverse when the contralateral hip remained stable. Nine of them were treated with femoral varus osteotomy alone and 3 underwent a combination of femoral and pelvic osteotomy. Three of these 12 (25%) patients had revision of the first hip and bony correction of the contralateral hip. Age at surgery did not seem to have a significant effect on maintaining reduction or in preventing the contralateral hip to deteriorate. CONCLUSIONS: The rates of recurrence of the original hip and contralateral hip subluxation and dislocation after unilateral bony surgery in GMFCS III to V spastic patients are higher than those of other earlier series. However, in this series patients were followed until skeletal maturity. It is prudent to warn families of the possibility of long-term subluxation or dislocation of the original hip and development of the hip dysplasia requiring surgery on the contralateral side. Consideration should be given to adductor and iliopsoas release and bony surgery on the contralateral side in a GMFCS level III to V child undergoing surgery for hip displacement, even when the hip seem radiologically normal. If unilateral bony surgery is carried out, close radiological follow-up of both hips is recommended. It also seems that unilateral hip surgery alters the forces maintaining pelvic alignment, which can lead to destabilization of the contralateral hip. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Case series. Level IV.

[Practical significance of sonographic type IIa of dysplastic hip joint according to Graf's classifications].

Hip joint assessment in newborns and neonates is currently performed with ultrasonography due to the high degree of sensitivity and specificity of this technology as compared to the usual radiography. Measuring the alpha and beta angles is indicative in assessing the hip joint. The alpha angle represents the bony acetabular components and the beta angle represents the cartilaginous roof. According to Graf's classifications, type IIa is subdivided into two subgroups; type IIa- and IIa+. This study examined the need for following-up on these hip joints in newborn and neonate. The study population included the newborns and neonates born in our facility between the period 1/1/1999 to 1/4/2002. We routinely screened 10,432 newborns both clinically and ultrasonographically. This included a total of 20,862 hip joints, of which 915 were pathological according to Graf's classifications. Type IIa was diagnosed in 232 newborns and a total of 330 hip joints. The follow-up examinations were performed at 6 and 12 weeks of age, and at six months of age. Each follow-up visit included clinical and sonographic evaluation and alpha angle measuring. The incidence of type IIa was 1.6% of all hips and 36.9% of the pathological hip joints. These joints were divided into two subgroups. Group A included 254 hip joints among 156 newborns, 116 girls [74.3%] and 40 boys [25.6%]. Group A members had bilateral or unilateral type IIa hip joints. In the latter case, the other joint was type I-normal. Group B included 76 hip joints among 76 newborns, 72 girls [94.5%] and four boys [5.5%]. Group B members had one type IIa hip joint and a second more severely graded hip joint. Follow-up only was required in 88% of the type IIa hip joints and 12% were treated using Pavlik's method. Surprisingly, all the joints with unilateral type IIa hips developed into normal or type I by six months of age without treatment, independent of the alpha angle value, and the pathology on the opposite side.

[Method not stirrups--treating DDH according to Pavlik].

Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), previously termed "congenital dislocation of the hip" (CDH), encompasses a group of related pediatric disorders, some diagnosed soon after birth or later. These include clinical instability of the hip, with or without anatomical dysplasia, subluxation or dislocation. These days, such disorders are usually diagnosed soon after birth, and can develop to normal or worsen to severe disability in time. Most of the hips are not dislocated but all pathological hips show some degree of dysplasia and a minority is dislocated. The keystone to successful treatment of DDH is early diagnosis. Screening is successful only if followed by correct early treatment. Various methods and devices have been proposed for the treatment of DDH. After closed reduction of the hip is done, sometimes with violence, rigid fixation might cause avascular necrosis of the femoral head (AVN). These methods are used less and less, having been replaced by Pavliks method, whereby, if strictly used, the AVN rates are almost zero.

Concomitant focal fibrocartilaginous dysplasia of the tibia and eosinophilic granuloma of the jaw in a child.

This 2-year-old child presented with concomitant eosinophilic granuloma of the lower jaw and focal fibrocartilaginous dysplasia of the right tibia. Her eosinophilic granuloma was diagnosed on the basis of the clinical picture, imaging studies and the characteristic histologic appearance. Focal fibrocartilaginous dysplasia was revealed incidentally during the eosinophilic granuloma staging process. After chemotherapy, all signs of eosinophilic granuloma subsided, but focal fibrocartilaginous dysplasia remained without signs of clinical or radiographic progression. The importance of differentiating these two conditions is stressed in order to avoid ineffective and inappropriate treatment of focal fibrocartilaginous dysplasia.