Septic hip dislocations in children in a developing country

To report on a radiological issue and therapeutic aspects encountered in septic hip dislocations in a developing country.

Nineteen children among whom 11 boys and 8 girls aged on average 5.3-years old presented 7 recent and 12 late hip dislocations. Those dislocations were distributed into in category 1: dislocations without associated lesion; category 2: dislocations associated with minor lesions; category 3: dislocations associated with major lesion. Ten children who presented an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) received antibiotics. An arthrotomy was performed in children with a recent dislocation. Traction was performed in all children with an average duration of 5 weeks. The results were considered good, intermediate or bad using two parameters: ESR and reduction of dislocation.

2 category 1 dislocations, 6 category 2 dislocations and 11 category 3 dislocations were noted. As concerns the recent dislocations, there were 2 category 1 dislocations and 5 category 2 dislocations. For late dislocations, 1 category 2 and 11 category 3 dislocations were recorded. There were 8 good results and 11 bad results. The good results concerned 7 recent dislocations and one late dislocation. The bad results concerned exclusively late dislocations.

In children with septic hip dislocations, the good results concern almost exclusively recent dislocations but arthrotomy and immobilization must be done early.