Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is when a baby’s hip is unstable from birth. This happens because the hip joint does not fully develop during pregnancy. It affects about 1 in 800-1000 births and is more common in girls. Factors like being in a breech position, certain hormones, and weak hip capsules can increase the risk.
Doctors can find hip dislocation early by performing the Ortolani and Barlow tests. If not treated, it may cause issues like hip arthritis, walking problems, and uneven leg lengths. It could also lead to hip deformities and trouble getting pregnant for girls later on.
Rehabilitation exercises, wearing special braces, and surgery are main treatments for DDH. But people are still figuring out the best time and way to start treating it.
Key Takeaways:
- DDH means a baby comes into the world with a hip that’s not steady because it didn’t grow right during pregnancy.
- It’s seen more often in girls than boys.
- Being in a breech position, certain mom hormones, and weak hip tissues can up the chances of having it.
- Finding it early with specific tests is important to avoid later problems such as arthritis and trouble walking.
- Treatments range from exercise and braces to surgery, but there’s still talk about the best way to treat it.
Treatment Options for Congenital Hip Dislocation
The way congenital hip dislocation is treated changes with patient age and condition severity. For babies under one month old, physical therapies and certain ways of positioning the baby’s hip can be used. This might mean keeping the baby in a certain position with close diapers, carrying them, or lying them on their stomach when asleep.
Special braces like the Pavlik Harness splint and the Freijke knee brace can be helpful. These braces gently support the hip, helping it grow well and align properly. Babies usually wear them for a few months to get a strong hip socket.
Sometimes, older children with congenital hip dislocation need surgery. Procedures known as innominate and femoral varus osteotomies are common. These surgeries aim to make the hip more stable, reduce pain, and restore its normal function.
If surgery isn’t an option, there are other procedures that can be done. For instance, in shelf augmentation, a bone graft is placed to make the hip socket deeper. Chiari osteotomies move the femur to better fit the hip socket. These methods can reduce pain and probably postpone a hip replacement.
Orthopedic casts are another possibility. They are mainly used when steady healing is crucial. The cast is specially made for the patient’s hip and leg. Wearing it for a while helps the hip heal and align properly.
Deciding on surgery for hip dysplasia is still under discussion in the medical world. There needs to be more research to understand which treatments work best. This might include exercises, braces, casts, surgery, or other procedures. The best choice will depend on the patient’s age, how bad the dislocation is, and the end goal of treatment.
Conclusion
Congenital hip dislocation, known as DDH, affects the hip development in infants. This condition can cause serious problems if not treated. Treatments can include exercises, braces, and sometimes surgery.
But, experts are not all in agreement on the best ways to treat it. They worked together across the world to create guidelines for treating hip dysplasia in MPS I-H patients. These guidelines suggest that early surgery is best for them.
More research is still needed to fully understand which treatments work the best. Yet, these guidelines are a big step forward for doctors. They help find better ways to care for patients with hip dysplasia. Research and teamwork will keep making progress in diagnosing and treating this condition in the years to come.