[Congenital hip dysplasia in Sicily]

The Authors have analyzed the results of the ultrasound exams of the hips made in the Department of Pediatric Radiology, of the Catania University between 1993-1996 on 2000 little patients aged from 0 to 7 months. The aim of the examination was to define the frequency of the congenital dysplasia of the hip among the population of South-East Sicily because in literature there are no sure data. After a keen analysis of these data one can affirm that the incidence of the congenital dysplasia of the hip among the population of South-East Sicily is of 2.55% with the overwhelming prevalence in the females (M/F = 1/5). This percentage is thus comparable to the national one, and this allow us to confirm the great importance of the mass screening to prevent the congenital dysplasia of the hip even in Sicily.