Hip sonography is mostly unused in infants

Hip sonography for the diagnosis of hip dysplasia in infants
Each infant is entitled to ultrasound hip screening as part of the U3 investigation. However, in the run-up to the German Congress of Orthopedics and Traumatology (DKOU), experts point out that hip sonography is still not performed in around 50,000 to 70,000 infants a year. In this case, a malposition of the hip in the children can usually be corrected without surgery by wearing a splint. In later life, however, the hip damage can usually be eliminated only by a complex surgical procedure.

U3 examination of infants involves hip ultrasound
"Some parents do not take the check-ups, but some pediatricians consider the hip screening unnecessary," said Professor Rüdiger Krauspe, Congress President of the DKOU and Director of the Clinic and Polyclinic for Orthopedics at the University Hospital Dusseldorf, in a statement. In the years 2006 to 2009, only 83 to 85 percent of infants used the recommended hip ultrasound in the U3 examination. In addition, every fourth hip ultrasound is not performed properly.

Hip ultrasound helps to detect malpositions and damage of the hip joint at an early stage. (Image: electrozebra / fotolia.com)

In Central Europe, about two to four percent of newborns suffer from hip dysplasia. In Germany, nearly 700,000 births affect up to 28,000 infants a year. "Overall, we can attribute 10 to 15 percent of all hip prosthesis surgeries in patients under 50 to hip dysplasia," explains Krauspe. If left untreated, hip dysplasia can also lead to complications such as malalignment where the condyle pops out of the acetabular cup. The affected children can no longer spread their legs properly from the body, have a hollow cross or a waddle. "If parents see these symptoms, they should consult an orthopedist," advises Krauspe. If the complaint is not treated, it also threatens spinal curvature.

Hip ultrasonography in infants can detect early hip rupture disorders early on
The hip ultrasound in infancy can detect early maturation disorders early and is a low-risk prevention measure. "Studies show that infant ultrasound is not only economically superior, it also halves the risk of surgery," said the doctor.

If a hip dysplasia is detected early, the treatment is usually done with a seat squatting gypsum, which the children have to wear for four to six weeks. If the parents work well, a so-called Pavlik bandage or a flexor-splint splint can be used to bring the hip into the correct position.

Since an operation in which the pelvis has to be severed in three places is normally not necessary if the diagnosis is made in time by means of hip sonography, a quality assurance program is to be introduced, which is presented in the context of the DKOU. "Our goal must therefore be to examine all newborns using ultrasound," said Krauspe. (Ag)