FREJKA PILLOW AND BECKER DEVICE FOR CONGENITAL DISLOCATION OF THE HIP- PROSPECTIVE 6-YEAR STUDY OF 104 LATE-DIAGNOSED CASES

During the period 1974-1986, 107 consecutive 1-9 month-old children wi th late-diagnosed congenital dislocation of the hip (CDH) were treated with a Frejka pillow primarily, followed by a Becker device. Treatmen t was initially successful in 96 cases with 2 not reduced, 4 failed st abilization, 4 persisting dysplasia, and 1 avascular necrosis. No corr elation was found between age at the time of diagnosis or the severity of the dislocation and the duration or the result of treatment. In th ose initially successful, 14 percent had slight dysplasia 6 months lat er. The last follow-up, at the mean age of 7 years, excluding the 11 c hildren needing supplementary treatment, showed that 84 percent had no rmal hips on radiography, based on measurements of the acetabular angl es and the center-edge angles. The clinical findings were normal.