Epidemiological investigation and ultrasonographic results of developmental dysplasia of the hip in infants aged 0-6 months

Abstract

Aim: To determine the prevalence of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), a common condition in our region, and investigate the underlying factors contributing to its occurrence.

Methods: A total of 715 hips from 370 newborns were evaluated using ultrasonography. The patients' gender, alpha, and beta angles, affected hip, and Graf classification types were noted. Risk factors were compared between the groups. Patients diagnosed with DDH were treated with the Pavlik harness.

Results: In the initial evaluation, 61 out of 370 patients (16%) were diagnosed with Graf type 2c, 3, or 4 hips. 48 patients were female, and 13 patients were male. Patients who were female (20.1%) had a statistically significant greater incidence of DDH than patients who were male (9.8%) (p<0.05). In terms of statistical significance, there was no difference between DDH incidence in the right hip and left hip (p>0.05). The application of swaddling was more frequent in the group with diagnosed DDH compared to the normal group (p<0,05). Pavlik treatment was applied to 41 hips. After the treatment, 30 hips converted to type 1 hips. Six hips remained as type 2b, three hips progressed to type 2c, and one hip progressed to type 3.

Conclusions: DDH continues to be a widespread concern. The incidence in our region is higher compared to other areas. Enhancing screening initiatives, pinpointing key risk factors, and bolstering family education are imperative steps towards its prevention.