CONGENITAL DISLOCATION OF THE HIP: THE TREATMENT AND RESULTS IN CASES UNSUITABLE FOR BLOODLESS OR OPEN REDUCTION

The shelf operation has been performed in twenty-three instances, for the relief of symptoms due to old, unreduced congenital dislocations of the hip, and for the purpose of providing stability in those hips having shallow sockets, with or without a partial dislocation of the femoral head.

Favorable results have been obtained in nineteen of the operations. Stability has been secured, the limp has been lessened or corrected, and pain has been relieved.

Two of the cases gave only fair results, a marked degree of shortening being present.

Two of the operations resulted in ankylosis of the affected hips. It is to be noted that in each of these cases the shelf operation had been preceded by an attempted open reduction.

We feel that in the older cases, where open reduction is not likely to be successful, the shelf operation is preferable to open operation and reduction. The latter procedure often results in ankylosis of the affected hip, whereas the shelf operation, in nearly every instance, gives a freely movable hip which is painless and has good function.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Technorati    What's this?