Developmental dysplasia of the hip screening programme in Chile

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Pediatric Surgery
• Public Health

Background:

• Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) presents a spectrum of conditions, from mild acetabular dysplasia to complete congenital hip dislocation.
• Screening programs are crucial for early identification and treatment of DDH.
• Chile implemented a national DDH program in 2009.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the outcomes of Chile's national DDH screening program.
• To analyze data from patients born between 2010 and 2015.

Main Methods:

• Retrieved hospitalization records from national databases (2010-2019).
• Selected patients born between 2010-2015 requiring surgical treatment for DDH within their first five years.
• Analyzed sex, type of first surgical procedure, and age at first procedure.

Main Results:

• 961 children underwent procedures for DDH.
• Major procedures (269) were less common than minor procedures (692).
• Incidence of major procedures was 0.18 per 1000 live births; boys had higher rates of major procedures (39.2%) than girls (26.2%).

Conclusions:

• The Chilean National DDH Screening Program is effective.
• The program offers significant public health benefits.
• Early screening and intervention reduce the need for major surgical treatments.