Congenital dislocation of the hip--a long-term follow-up in Korea

The results of fifty-eight congenitally dislocated hips in fifty-four children, who were between two months and eleven years old when treatment was begun, have been reviewed. Thirteen hips were treated by closed reduction, seventeen hips by open reduction, seventeen hips by Salter's innominate osteotomy, five hips by Klisic operation, and six hips by other operations. At an average 5.1 year follow-up (range, three to twelve years), a 91% satisfactory result was obtained when treatment was started under two years of age. With preoperative traction, in the cases when the femoral head was pulled down below to the zero station, the clinical result was satisfactory in 83%. We think that the treatment of congenital dislocation of the hip should be started before two years of age and that the femoral head should be pulled down below to the zero station to prevent avascular necrosis, and to obtain a satisfactory result.