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Neonatal hip instability: results and experiences from ten years of screening with the anterior‐dynamic ultrasound method
Author(s) -
Andersson JE
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2002.tb02857.x
Subject(s) - medicine , ultrasound , instability , surgery , pediatrics , radiology , mechanics , physics
Aim : To record the results and experiences from a 10‐y screening period with the anterior‐dynamic ultrasound method for detecting neonatal hip instability. Methods : An ultrasonographic improvement of the Palmen/Barlow test was used. The screening programme included 22 047 newborns. Decisions about treatment were made solely on the ultrasound result. Results : It was found that 175 infants (7.9/1000) had at least one unstable hip—dislocated or dislocatable. Dislocated hips were found in 1.1/1000. Dislocatable hips were found in 6.8/1000 but only 1.1/1000 needed treatment. The total frequency of treatment was 2.2/1000. All cases but one were diagnosed before discharge from the maternity ward. The rate of surgery was 0.1/1000 newborns. Girls were more affected than boys, by a ratio of 3:1. Among the affected hips 64.4% were a left hip. Conclusion : Neonatal hip instability is always present at birth and can be diagnosed immediately after birth. We have no indications that instability can appear at a later stage. The anterior‐dynamic ultrasound screening programme is an efficient tool to diagnose neonatal hip instability and to decide when to begin treatment.