Aims. Radiological residual acetabular dysplasia (RAD) has been reported in up to 30% of children who had successful brace treatment of infant developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). Predicting those who will resolve and those who may need corrective surgery is important to optimize follow-up protocols. In this study we have aimed to identify the prevalence and predictors of RAD at two years and five years post-bracing. Methods. This was a single-centre, prospective longitudinal cohort study of infants with DDH managed using a published, standardized Pavlik harness protocol between January 2012 and December 2016. RAD was measured at two years’ mean follow-up using acetabular index-lateral edge (AI-L) and acetabular index-sourcil (AI-S), and at five years using AI-L, AI-S, centre-edge angle (CEA), and acetabular depth ratio (ADR). Each hip was classified based on published normative values for normal, borderline (1 to 2 standard deviations (SDs)), or dysplastic (> 2 SDs) based on sex, age, and laterality. Results. Of 202 infants who completed the protocol, 181 (90%) had two and five years’ follow-up radiographs. At two years, in 304 initially pathological hips, the prevalence of RAD (dysplastic) was 10% and RAD (borderline) was 30%. At five years, RAD (dysplastic) decreased to 1% to 3% and RAD (borderline) decreased to < 1% to 2%. On logistic regression, no variables were predictive of RAD at two years. Only AI-L at two years was predictive of RAD at five years (p < 0.001). If both hips were normal at two years’ follow-up (n = 96), all remained normal at five years. In those with bilateral borderline hips at two years (n = 21), only two were borderline at five years, none were dysplastic. In those with either borderline-dysplastic or bilateral dysplasia at two years (n = 26), three (12%) were dysplastic at five years. Conclusion. The majority of patients with RAD at two years post-brace treatment, spontaneously resolved by five years. Therefore, children with normal radiographs at two years post-brace treatment can be discharged. Targeted follow-up for those with abnormal AI-L at two years will identify the few who may benefit from surgical correction at five years’ follow-up. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2024;106-B(7):744–750

Management of symptomatic residual acetabular dysplasia in adolescence and early adulthood remains a major therapeutic challenge. At our unit the two senior authors review all patients preoperatively and simultaneously perform each procedure. In the four years from 1998 forty-three Bernese osteotomies were performed in 40 patients with residual acetabular dysplasia. The mean average age at surgery was 21 years (range 12 – 43 years) and there were 34 female patients. The indication for surgery was symptomatic hip dysplasia (all idiopathic but for one male with a history of slipped capital femoral epiphysis) presenting with pain and restricted ambulation. 4 patients had previous surgery on the affected hip (2 Salter’s osteotomy, one Shelf procedure and one proximal femoral osteotomy). 27.5% of patients had symptomatic bilateral disease. 42% of patients had Severin class IV or V dysplasia at presentation. 100% of patients had preservation of the hip joint at last follow-up evaluation (mean 2.4 years), with excellent results in 82%, an average post-operative Harris hip score of 96, and an average d’Aubigne hip score of 16.1. The mean post-operative improvements in radiographic measures were as follows: Anterior centre edge angle +19.4°, Lateral centre angle +25.8°, Acetabular Index – 10.7°. Head to Ischial distance – 7.3mm. Surgical operative time decreased from 128 minutes to 43 minutes from the first to the most recent case. Average blood loss has reduced from 1850mls to 420mls over the four years experience. Predonation of 2 units of blood requested from all patients with baseline hemoglobin of > 12g/dl. When combined with intraoperative cell salvage the need for transfusion of homologous blood has been eliminated. All complications occurred in the first 9 patients: (one major – iliac vein injury requiring no further treatment; four moderate – lateral cutaneous nerve injuries; four minor – asymptomatic heterotopic ossification). Our experience confirms that the Ganz peri-acetabular osteotomy is an efficacious procedure for the treatment of the residually dysplastic hip, providing excellent clinical results, where early intervention is the key to improved outcome. It is a technically demanding procedure with a significant early learning curve and we believe that a two-surgeon approach is invaluable to the management of these difficult cases

Treatment of residual acetabular dysplasia is still controversial regarding the timing of Surgery, and the type of surgical procedur. Material and Methods: We analyzed 70 patients (83 hips) operated between 1980–1988 year, in which Salter innominate osteotomy was performed in the treatment of residual acetabular dysplasia in DDH. Patients were divided in two different age groups: from 2–4 (53 hips) and 4–6 (30 hips) years. The average follow up was 7 years (from 2 to 10 years). Acetabular remodeling was radiographically assessed by measuring of the Acetabular Index (AI) at the beginning and after the 5 years of age subsequently by measuring the CE angle of Wiberg. All preoperative hips were dysplastic according to Tonnis (+2SD) criteria. Results were statistically analyzed by using the Student’s T test, and One Way Repeated Measures ANOVA, with the correction for the different age groups. Results: We found that there were no statistically significant differences in AI and CE angle between these two age groups and between these groups and normal values. Conclusion: We recommend Salter innominate osteotomy as a procedure of choice in the treatment of acetabular dysplasia in DDH, provided the patient is younger than 6 years of age

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term clinical and radiological results of patients with hip dysplasia who underwent spherical acetabular osteotomy. The surgical technique used was that described by Wagner.

The first 26 unilateral spherical osteotomies performed by one surgeon at one institution were reviewed at a minimum clinical follow-up of 20 years (median 23.9, maximum 29 years). One patient had died 5 years after the index operation unrelated to the procedure. Three patients (3 hips, 11 %) could not be traced. Preoperative and follow-up radiographic measurements included lateral and anterior centre-edge angle, acetabular index angle, and acetabulum-head index of Heyman and Herndon. Antero-posterior radiographs of the pelvis were evaluated for the presence of joint congruency, joint space narrowing, increased sclerosis of the subchondral bone, and bone cysts.

Osteotomy improved the mean lateral centre-edge angle from −20 to +130, and the acetabular head index from 52% to 72%. The mean postoperative anterior centre-edge angle of Lequesne and de Seze was 23 (range: −10 to 62). Seven of 22 hips (32%) needed conversion to total hip replacement. The average Harris hip score at latest follow-up of the remaining 15 hips was rated 86 points (range: 50 to 100 points). Overall, 11 of the 15 hips were clinically rated good or excellent. On latest follow-up severity of osteoarthritis was unchanged in 13 of 15 hips. Only 3 of 9 hips requiring conversion to total hip replacement or showing progressive osteoarthritis were rated congruent after the index operation. On the other hand, 10 of 13 hips not requiring conversion to total hip replacement or progressive osteoarthritis were congruent. The 20-year-follow-up Kaplan-Meier survival estimates based on conversion to total hip replacement as an end point was 86.4%. (95% confidence interval: 63.4% to 95.4%). The 25-year-follow-up survivorship was 65.1 % (95% confidence interval: 35.6% to 83.7%).

The long-term results of the spherical osteotomy are satisfactory from the standpoint of both improvement in clinical condition and the radiological appearance of the joint. The Wagner spherical osteotomy had prevented progression of degenerative changes in 13 out of 22 hips (59%) after a median 23.9 year follow-up. Congruency of the joint seems to be a major factor predicting long-term outcome.

The October 2024 Children’s orthopaedics Roundup. 360. looks at: Cost-effectiveness analysis of soft bandage and immediate discharge versus rigid immobilization in children with distal radius torus fractures: the FORCE trial; Percutaneous Achilles tendon tenotomy in clubfoot with a blade or a needle: a single-centre randomized controlled noninferiority trial; Treatment of hip displacement in children with cerebral palsy: a five-year comparison of proximal femoral osteotomy and combined femoral-pelvic osteotomy in 163 children; The Core outcome Clubfoot (CoCo) study: relapse, with poorer clinical and quality of life outcomes, affects 37% of idiopathic clubfoot patients; Retention versus removal of epiphyseal screws in paediatric distal tibial fractures: no significant impact on outcomes; Predicting the resolution of residual acetabular dysplasia after brace treatment in infant DDH; Low prevalence of acetabular dysplasia following treatment for neonatal hip instability: a long-term study; How best to distract the patient?

We reviewed the medical records of 115 patients with 130 hips with developmental dysplasia with complete dislocation in the absence of a neuromuscular disorder, spontaneous reduction with a Pavlik harness, and a minimum of 14 years’ follow-up. The mean age at the time of harness application was 4.8 months (1 to 12) and the mean time spent in the harness was 6.1 months (3 to 12). A total of 108 hips (83.1%) were treated with the harness alone and supplementary surgery for residual acetabular dysplasia, as defined by an acetabular index > 30°, was performed in 22 hips (16.9%). An overall satisfactory outcome (Severin grade I or II) was achieved in 119 hips (91.5%) at a mean follow-up of 16 years (14 to 32) with a follow-up rate of 75%. Avascular necrosis of the femoral head was noted in 16 hips (12.3%), seven of which (44%) underwent supplementary surgery and nine (56%) of which were classified as satisfactory. The acetabular index was the most reliable predictor of residual acetabular dysplasia

Background. Several risk factors for the development of osteonecrosis following treatment of developmental dislocated hip have been reported. The need for further research with a large-enough sample size including statistical adjustment of confounders was demanded. The purpose of the present study was to find reliable predictors of osteonecrosis in patients managed for developmental dislocation of the hip. Methods. A retrospective cohort study of children, who have been hospitalized at our department between January 1998 and February 2007 with a developmental dislocation of the hip, was completed. Sixty-four patients satisfied the criteria for inclusion. Three groups according to age and treatment were identified. Group A and B included patients treated with closed or open reductions aged less than twelve months. Patients of group C were past walking age at the time of reduction and were treated by open reduction combined with concomitant pelvic and femoral osteotomies. The average duration of follow-up for all patients was 6.8 years. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify predictors for the development of osteonecrosis. Results. The overall rate of osteonecrosis in group A and B was 27.4% compared to 88.2% in patients of group C. After pooling of all data, no protective effect of the ossific nucleus of the femoral head on the development of osteonecrosis was found (p = 0.14). Additionally, an increase of surgical procedures in children of group C could not be demonstrated (p = 0.17). By using logistic regression analysis the type of reduction and secondary reconstructive procedure due to residual acetabular dysplasia could be identified as predictors for the development of osteonecrosis. Conclusions. Open reduction combined with concomitant osteotomies and secondary reconstructive interventions due to residual acetabular dysplasia increase the risk for osteonecrosis in the treatment of the developmental dislocated hip. Therefore, we advocate early reduction of the dislocated hip in the first year of life to avoid the need for concomitant osteotomies combined with open reduction. Level of Evidence. Prognostic study, level II-1 (retrospective study)

Management of symptomatic residual acetabular dysplasia in adolescence and early adulthood remains a major therapeutic challenge. At our unit the two senior authors review all patients preoperatively and simultaneously perform each procedure. In the four years from 1998 forty-three Bernese osteotomies were performed in 40 patients with residual acetabular dysplasia. The mean average age at surgery was 21 years (range 12 – 43 years) and there were 34 female patients. The indication for surgery was symptomatic hip dysplasia (all idiopathic but for one male with a history of slipped capital femoral epiphysis) presenting with pain and restricted ambulation. 4 patients had previous surgery on the affected hip (2 Salter’s osteotomy, one Shelf procedure and one proximal femoral osteotomy). 27.5% of patients had symptomatic bilateral disease. 42% of patients had Severin class IV or V dysplasia at presentation. 100% of patients had preservation of the hip joint at last follow-up evaluation (mean 2.4 years), with excellent results in 82%, an average post-operative Harris hip score of 96, and an average d’Aubigne hip score of 16.1. The mean post-operative improvements in radiographic measures were as follows: Anterior centre edge angle +19.4°, Lateral centre angle +25.8°, Acetabular Index – 10.7°. Head to Ischial distance – 7.3mm. Surgical operative time decreased from 128 minutes to 43 minutes from the first to the most recent case. Average blood loss has reduced from 1850mls to 420mls over the four years experience. Predonation of 2 units of blood requested from all patients with baseline hemoglobin of > 12g/dl. When combined with intraopera-tive cell salvage the need for transfusion of homologous blood has been eliminated. All complications occurred in the first 9 patients: (one major – iliac vein injury requiring no further treatment; four moderate – lateral cutaneous nerve injuries; four minor – asymptomatic heterotopic ossification). Our experience confirms that the Ganz periacetabular osteotomy is an efficacious procedure for the treatment of the residually dysplastic hip, providing excellent clinical results, where early intervention is the key to improved outcome. It is a technically demanding procedure with a significant early learning curve and we believe that a two

This retrospective matched cohort study tested the hypothesis that an incomplete periacetabular acetabuloplasty, as an added step to delayed open reduction, diminishes the risk of developing acetabular dysplasia. 29 hips from 23 patients with idiopathic DDH that underwent intentionally delayed open reduction and acetabuloplasty at our institution from 2003 to 2010 were matched for age at presentation and bilaterality to historic controls. These were 29 hips from 26 patients, treated with open reduction alone from 1989 to 2003. Residual dysplasia treated with pelvic osteotomy, AVN grade II-IV, and rate of re-intervention were the outcome measures. The mean ages at diagnosis and at surgery were 8.62 weeks and 12.97 months, respectively. At latest follow-up, 27 hips in the acetabuloplasty group and 22 in the open reduction alone group had satisfactory radiographic outcome (Severin class Ia, Ib or II) (p=0.16). 18 of the 58 hips (31.0%) had AVN, 7 (24.14%) in the case group and 11(37.93%) in the control group. Further surgery was required in 15 of the 29 hips in the open reduction alone group. These included 2 revision of open reductions, 5 pelvic osteotomies, 3 varus derotation osteotomies, and 5 apo or epiphysiodesis whilst only one patient in the acetabuloplasty group required a medial screw epiphysiodesis for late lateral growth arrest. There is a positive association between the need for further surgery and open reductions alone: the odds ratio is 14.00 and the 95% confidence interval (1.97, 99.63), p=0.0017. The five hips in the open reduction alone group that required a pelvic osteotomy were intervened at an average of 31.45 (±9.07) months. The addition of an incomplete periacetabular periacetabuloplasty to all hips undergoing open reduction eliminated residual acetabular dysplasia in this cohort whilst it does not appear to have deleterious effects, as evidenced by the similar Severin and McKay scores

We studied the morphological changes in the proximal femur in 42 patients (42 hips) who had had varus derotation osteotomy of the upper femur for residual acetabular dysplasia and congenital subluxation of the hip and who did not show deformity of the head of the femur. In 19 patients the alignment of the whole leg was examined. The femoral neck-shaft angle (FNSA) at the final examination was unrelated to that immediately after operation or to the state of the acetabulum at that time. The postoperative FNSA was not related to the final result but the CE angle obtained at surgery influenced the outcome. The femoral length did not differ significantly between the unaffected and affected sides. Significant differences were found in the femorotibial angle (176.6 degrees v 174.5 degrees) and in the point of intersection between the mechanical axis and knee (65.0% v 57.2%)

In the period 1991 to 1993, twenty-five patients had Tonnis Triple Pelvis Osteotomy (TPO) performed. The presenting condition was primary or residual acetabular dysplasia. The age range was 24 to 54. Fifteen operations were on the left and two patients had bilateral operations at intervals of more than one year. The anterior approach (Salter incision) was limited to an internal dissection, with the most limited possible abductor elevation of 2cm at the level of the iliac osteotomy. An Orthofix leg-lengthener was used intraoperatively to manoeuvre the central acetabular fragment, to accurately correct the presenting deformity as determined by CT scans. Two or three 6. 5mm screws were used to fix the osteotomy. No immobilisation was used. Mean blood loss was 580mis (range 375–1050mis). All patients presented with pain, and only two patients had (mild) pain at review. The adult acetabular index was corrected from mean 31 deg to mean 4deg (max 1 Odeg). The CEA was corrected from mean 8 deg to 20–35 (mean 29) degrees. There was one temporary sciatic neuropraxia in the first patient. One patient has been converted to a resurfacing. Harris Hip Scores (HHS) have been measured yearly from three years post-op. Presenting HHS was mean 58 (range 44–72). At most recent follow-up it was mean 91 (range 79–1 00). Only two patients had HHS < 85. These patients had only 50% joint space at presentation. There was no reduction in HHS with longer follow-up. The operation shows durable and promising results in the medium-term, consistent with other series reported in Europe. The authors recommend that this type of operation be performed before any joint space narrowing develops, so that irretrievable deterioration occurs

The August 2023 Children’s orthopaedics Roundup³⁶⁰ looks at: DDH: What can patients expect after open reduction?; Femoral head deformity associated with hip displacement in non-ambulatory cerebral palsy; Bony hip reconstruction for displaced hips in patients with cerebral palsy: is postoperative immobilization indicated?; Opioid re-prescriptions after ACL reconstruction in adolescents are associated with subsequent opioid use disorder; Normative femoral and tibial lengths in a modern population of USA children; Retrospective analysis of associated anomalies in 636 patients with operatively treated congenital scoliosis; Radiological hip shape and patient-reported outcome measures in healed Perthes’ disease; Significantly displaced adolescent posterior sternoclavicular joint injuries.

Aims

Eccentric reductions may become concentric through femoral head ‘docking’ (FHD) following closed reduction (CR) for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). However, changes regarding position and morphology through FHD are not well understood. We aimed to assess these changes using serial MRI.

The April 2024 Children’s orthopaedics Roundup³⁶⁰ looks at: Ultrasonography or radiography for suspected paediatric distal forearm fractures?; Implant density in scoliosis: an important variable?; Gait after paediatric femoral shaft fracture treated with intramedullary nail fixation: a longitudinal prospective study; The opioid dilemma: navigating pain management for children’s bone fractures; 12- to 20-year follow-up of Dega acetabuloplasty in patients with developmental dysplasia of the hip; Physeal fractures of the distal ulna: incidence and risk factors for premature growth arrest; Analysis of growth after transphyseal anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in children; Management of lateral condyle humeral fracture associated with elbow dislocation in children: a retrospective international multicentre cohort study.

The December 2024 Children’s orthopaedics Roundup³⁶⁰ looks at: Establishing best practice for managing idiopathic toe walking in children: a UK consensus; Long-term outcomes of below-elbow casting in paediatric diaphyseal forearm fractures; Residual dysplasia risk persists in developmental dysplasia of the hip patients after Pavlik harness treatment; 3D printing in paediatricorthopaedics: enhancing surgical efficiency and patient outcomes; Pavlik harness treatment for hip dysplasia does not delay motor skill development in children; High prevalence of hip dysplasia found in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis on routine spine radiographs; Minifragment plates as effective growth modulation for ulnar deformities of the distal radius in children; Long-term success of Chiari pelvic osteotomy in preserving hip function: 30-year follow-up study.

Aims

Brace treatment is the cornerstone of managing developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), yet there is a lack of evidence-based treatment protocols, which results in wide variations in practice. To resolve this, we have developed a comprehensive nonoperative treatment protocol conforming to published consensus principles, with well-defined a priori criteria for inclusion and successful treatment.

Aims

The goal of closed reduction (CR) in the treatment of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is to achieve and maintain concentricity of the femoral head in the acetabulum. However, concentric reduction is not immediately attainable in all hips and it remains controversial to what degree a non-concentric reduction is acceptable. This prospective study is aimed at investigating the dynamic evolution of the hip joint space after CR in DDH using MRI.

Aims

When the present study was initiated, we changed the treatment for late-detected developmental dislocation of the hip (DDH) from several weeks of skin traction to markedly shorter traction time. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate this change, with special emphasis on the rate of stable closed reduction according to patient age, the development of the acetabulum, and the outcome at skeletal maturity.