[Sonographic follow-up of hip dysplasia treated with an abduction brace]

121 children with cdh, which haven been treated between June 84 and December 85 in our out-patient-ward with Aktivspreizhose (abduction-pants), have been followed by ultrasound examination. Reliability of hip ultrasonography, duration of treatment and results have been evaluated. At the beginning of treatment the diagnosis were: 24.8% type IIa, 29.6% type IIb, 13.2% type IIG or IID and 5.8% type IIIa according to Graf; in 6.6% of the cases cdh was diagnosed only by x-rays. Hip ultrasonography was highly reliable according to quality controls in comparison to x-rays and short-ended the duration of treatment. With the exception of 3 children (1 Myelodysplasia, 2 start of treatment after the 6 months of life) all children with "Aktivspreizhose" treatment showed anatomic healing. Duration of treatment was 4.2 months on the average, 3.5 months when treatment started in the first 3 months of life, and 4.7 months, when started after the first 3 months of life. X-ray-controls at the end of treatment showed mild forms of femoral head necrosis (type I and II) in two cases, which healed completely according to follow up controls. For the treatment of cdh in babies the Aktivspreizhose is the optimal therapy, especially when started in the first 3 months of life. A general legal orthopaedic clinical and ultrasound screening of babies hip in the first week of life should be introduced.