[Familial hip dysplasia with short acetabular roofs]

A longtime observation of a mother and her three children with too short but not flattened acetabular roofs as contrasted with shallow acetabuli is presented, probably on a hereditary basis. The development of these short roofs from acetabular dysplasia may be recognized towards the end of the first decade of life at the latest. The short roof as such seems to be little amenable to conservative treatment. Adduction osteotomies, if necessary, later are preferable to the acetabuloplasties aiming more at improvement of a shallow than a short acetabulum, with the exception of Chiari's osteotomy.