Initial treatment of traumatic hip dislocations in the adult

The initial treatment of traumatic hip dislocations is critical to successf ul treatment of this injury. It generally is agreed that prompt reduction w ith the patient under anesthesia or sedation is required. Delay in reductio n of posterior hip dislocations is associated with avascular necrosis of th e hip, Occasionally the hip dislocation will be irreducible. Various method s to reduce hip dislocations have been described in the literature. The sup eriority of one particular technique has not been shown and the choice of r eduction maneuver must be tailored to the condition of the patient. Traumat ic hip dislocations often are associated with multiple injuries that may li mit the options available for initial treatment of the hip dislocation. Adh erence to general principles of skeletal reduction will increase the ease o f reduction and decrease the risk of iatrogenic injury during reduction. Ad ditional clinical and radiographic evaluation of the hip that was reduced o ften is necessary to determine whether subsequent open treatment is require d.