Clubfoot and developmental dysplasia of the hip: value of screening hip radiographs in children with clubfoot.
Clubfoot and hip dislocations are common conditions seen by pediatric orthopedists. In the evaluation of a child with clubfoot, most texts recommend a hip screening radiograph to rule out occult hip dysplasia. Between 1983 and 1998, 349 patients were treated for idiopathic clubfoot. Almost all feet required surgical correction. The average follow-up was 8.4 years. Of these patients, 127 had hip screening x-rays during their treatment of clubfoot. The remaining 222 patients were followed clinically for an average of 9.6 years. Of the 127 patients with hip screening x-rays, 1 was found to have hip dysplasia (0.8%). Of the 222 without hip screening x-rays, none developed signs or symptoms of hip pathology during their clinical follow-up period. The overall rate of hip dysplasia in the idiopathic clubfoot population in this series was less than 1.0%. Screening hip radiographs in the idiopathic clubfoot population are probably not warranted.
Westberry
David E
DE
Shriners Hospital for Children, Greenville Unit, South Carolina 29605, USA. davidewmd@charter.net
Davids
Jon R
JR
Pugh
Linda I
LI
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003025:Clubfoot / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006618:Hip Dislocation, Congenital / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies