Traumatic posterior dislocation of the hip in children

Eighteen cases of traumatic dislocation of the hip in children between two and a half and twelve years of age were treated by closed reduction. The patients presented at our hospital 26 hours to 75 days after injury. All the cases had posterior dislocation of the hip. Closed reduction, either by manipulations or by heavy traction and gradual reduction, was satisfactorily achieved in all the cases. Avascular necrosis was seen in one case only. The interval between dislocation and its reduction, the nature of the injury, the age of the patient, the type of treatment and the period of time in which the patient bears no weight do not seem to exert a significant influence on final results. All the patients were followed up from two to seven years.