[Clinical and ultrasonic diagnosis of congenital hip dislocation (dynamics of changes in early therapy)]

The authors present part of their prospective epidemiological study of congenital dysplasia of hip joints within which newborns were examined by ultrasonogram prior to the beginning of the therapy. Apart from the standard examination in the frontal plane after Graf they examined on principle also the ultrasonographic stability by the dynamic test after Schuler as well as by the application of the probe anteriorly with the simultaneous provocation according to Palmén. The authors have processed pathological ultrasonographic findings in 53 newborns (64 hip joints). The technique of the examination by ultrasound from the anterior approach is explained in detail. The comparison of both dynamic tests has shown that the examination from the anterior approach is considerably more sensitive than Schuler's dynamic test and also fully correlates with the clinical finding. It is a fact that the shift of the head in the flexion dorsally represents the most important component of the movement in unstable hip joint during provocation, it is far more noticeable than the lateralization of the head or the shift in the cranial direction. After achieving ultrasonographic stability the classical Graf method is sufficient for the registration of residual changes on the acetabular rim. The follow-up of patients until their complete healing has shown a surprisingly rapid remodellation of hip joints. The whole complex of clinically unstable hip joints has been divided into subgroups according to Graf classification. In type IIc or IId on the basis of ultrasonographic examination from the anterior approach the stable joints from the ultrasonographic viewpoint have been distinguished from unstable ones. The follow-up carried out in short intervals has shown that of longest duration is the remodellation of total dislocation and, on the contrary, of shortest duration is the healing of joints in the IIc or IId type. An absolute majority of affected hip joints have become normal until 3rd month of the age. The complex does not include two patients with teratological dislocation, the incidence of which has been determined in our study by the ratio of 2 cases in 35,550 of timely examined newborns. The role of the factor of spontaneous stabilization cannot be in this part of the study completely discounted. However, herewith we present part of an accomplished epidemiological study where the number of timely diagnosed patients including late diagnoses corresponds to the number of dislocations and subluxations determined within the conventional late diagnosis.