DEVELOPMENTAL OBSERVATIONS OF A HIP ULTRA SOUND SCREENING-PROGRAM TO EARLY DIAGNOSIS OF HIP-DYSPLASIA AT THE ORTHOPEDIC DEPARTMENT OF THE UNIVERSITY-HOSPITAL-HOMBURG-SAAR FROM 1985 TO 1990

The results of the hip ultrasound newborn screening at the orthopaedic department of the University Hospital Homburg/Saar underline the nece ssity of an early diagnosis of Hip dysplasia already during the first days of life. In the course of the following publication the benefit o f using abduction-pants in case of physiological unripe and primary pa thological hips is described closely. From October 1985 to December 19 90 2317 newborns have been examined by ultrasound. The rate of Hip Dys plasia (type IID, IIg, IIIa) was at 104 hips (2.2%). Clinical striking facts were only found in 46.3% of all patients with primary pathologi cal hips. After an precautionary broad swadding (Breitwickeln) or abdu ction-pants-treatment 331 (90.0%) hips of the 368 regular checked hips with type IIa developed with an average secondary anatomical healing of 2.5 months to Ia- or Ib-hips. After 3 months only just 12 hips corr esponded to a diagnosis of type IIb according to Graf. A deterioration to a IIg or IIIa hip was only ascertained in two cases. With all 41 s ufficiently controlled primary pathological hips an improvement to typ e Ia or Ib according to Graf achieved when treated with abductions pan ts (average duration of treatment: 4.3 months). None of the children h ad to undergo an operation because of instable hips.