Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 2, 2026
Assessment of the Efficacy of An Osteopathic Treatment in Infants with Biomechanical Impairments to Suckling
Published on: February 5, 2019
Initial screening and diagnosis of and referral for developmental dysplasia of the hip
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Women's and Children's Hospital, North Adelaide, Australia.
Insights
Late diagnosis of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) persists despite neonatal screening. Identifying at-risk infants and referring them could halve late DDH diagnoses.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Orthopedics
- Diagnostic Imaging
- Public Health Screening
Background:
- Neonatal screening for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) has limitations, leading to continued late diagnoses.
- Current screening methods fail to identify all infants with DDH, necessitating improved diagnostic strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of current neonatal screening programs for DDH.
- To assess the impact of identifying at-risk infant profiles on late DDH diagnoses.
- To analyze the role of ultrasound in screening and its potential complications.
Main Methods:
- Review of diagnostic outcomes from neonatal screening programs.
- Analysis of referral patterns for infants identified as 'at risk' for DDH.
- Examination of ultrasound screening data and treatment incidence.
Main Results:
- Late DDH diagnoses indicate a failure in initial clinical neonatal screening.
- Referral of 'at risk' infants shows potential to reduce late diagnoses by up to 50%.
- Ultrasound screening has not definitively eliminated late DDH diagnoses but has increased treatment for 'immature hips', raising complication risks.
Conclusions:
- Improved referral protocols for at-risk infants are crucial for reducing late developmental dysplasia of the hip diagnoses.
- The role of ultrasound in eliminating late DDH requires further investigation, as it may increase treatment-related complications.
- Achieving complete elimination of late developmental dysplasia of the hip referrals remains a significant challenge.
Abstract:
The continued diagnosis of cases of late developmental dysplasia of the hip reaffirms the failure of initial clinical neonatal screening programs. Even the identification of an "at risk" patient profile will not eliminate the late diagnoses, but referral of these patients will ensure that up to 50% of late diagnoses can be eliminated. The role of ultrasound as a screening diagnostic tool has not, at this time, been confirmed to eliminate late diagnoses. Its use, however, has led to an increased incidence of treatment with the recognition of the sonographic "immature hip." This, in turn, will increase the number of complications of treatment with iatrogenic avascular necrosis. Therefore, the ideal elimination of all late developmental dysplasia of the hip referrals remains the unattained goal.
