Sports activity after pelvic osteotomy for treatment of developmental dysplasia of the hip : A comparative study between the triple pelvic and periacetabular osteotomy techniques

BACKGROUND

Symptomatic dysplasia of the hip represents an indication for a bony correction of the acetabulum. In the last decades several operative procedures were established.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the current study was to analyze whether the level of sports activity is higher in patients after periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) according to Ganz as a technique which preserves the posterior column compared to classical triple pelvic osteotomy (TPO) for treatment of developmental hip dysplasia.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study group included 102 patients treated with the classical TPO with already published clinical results, who were compared to 34 patients treated with PAO between 2012 and 2016. The clinical outcome scores included the modified Harris Hip Score, the Hip Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, the University of California, Los Angeles activity score and the visual analog scale.

RESULTS

After a mean follow-up of 4.4 years the clinical parameters improved significantly after PAO (p < 0.05). In comparison to the TPO group the clinical scores of the PAO group had inferior baseline values and a tendency to inferior follow-up results in the mHHS (p < 0.05) and HOOS (p > 0.05). After surgery, the PAO group showed a shift to medium and high impact sport activities.

CONCLUSION

The shorter time of postoperative partial weight bearing after PAO due to the preservation of the posterior column seemed not to have a positive impact on the clinical results or the sports activity compared to the TPO treated patients.

Calculation method to predict postoperative limb length in patients undergoing THA following developmental dysplasia of hips

BACKGROUND

Limb length discrepancy (LLD) is one of the main cause of dissatisfaction after total hip arthroplasty (THA). The teardrop-lesser trochanter method can accurately predict and analyze LLD for healthy people. However, for patients with preoperative LLD, no method for predicting postoperative LLD is currently available, and these patients are highly susceptible to more severe LLD after THA. Accordingly, this study proposed a calculation method to predict postoperative limb length for these patients.

METHODS

Eighty patients who underwent THA between May 2016 and October 2018 due to unilateral developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) were evaluated. Relevant parameters were measured from radiographs of full-length lower limbs, e.g. the distance between the rotation center of the hip and the midpoint of the tibial plafond and the distance between the point which was marked at the same height as the lesser trochanter on the anatomical long axis of the femur and the midpoint of the tibial plafond. Then, a mathematical model was established by simplifying the structure from the hip to the ankle. The relationship between the placement position of the prosthesis and the LLD value was calculated by Law of Sines and Iterative Calculation.

RESULTS

The preoperatively predicted LLD values and the postoperatively measured LLD values were compared, yielding a mean absolute difference of 3.7 (range, 0.1 to 8.6) mm. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of the two parameters exhibited strong reliability (ICC = 0.911, 95%CI, 0.795 to 0.955). The Bland-Altman plot also showed good conformity between the two parameters.

CONCLUSIONS

The proposed calculation method effectively predicted the postoperative LLD using preoperative parameters. Despite the complexity of the method, it can go a long way towards reducing the occurrence of severe postoperative LLD in DDH-THA.

Developmental dysplasia of the hip in female adult individual: Site Tres Cruces I, Salta, Argentina (Superior formative period, 400-1000 AD)

Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is a developmental defect that prevents normal articulation between the acetabulum and the femoral head. This is an unusual condition, with a prevalence of 1-2 per thousand, and with only two poorly described skeletons documented in South American paleopathological literature. In this work we report an individual with such a condition, from the archeological site Tres Cruces I (Quebrada del Toro, Salta, Argentina). Several radiocarbon dates and associated materials date it to the Superior Formative (400-1000 AD). The remains are of an adult female, who also has tabular oblique cranial modification. Through detection of abnormalities in the morphology of the femora and ossa coxae, a differential diagnosis was carried out. On the left hip joint the formation of a well-defined false acetabulum, without connection with the true one, was observed. The latter was shallow, triangular, with an irregular base. The left os coxae showed a wider greater sciatic notch angle. The right os coxae exhibited a false acetabulum connected with the true one. Both femora presented a small femoral head, flat and mushroom-shaped, with shortening of the neck. These features were more pronounced on the right-side elements. On the basis of the aforementioned, a presumptive diagnosis of bilateral developmental dysplasia of the hip with complete dislocation on both sides was established.

Lessons learned from study of congenital hip disease in adults

Orthopaedic surgeons specialising in adult hip reconstruction surgery often face the problem of osteoarthritis secondary to congenital hip disease (CHD). To achieve better communication among physicians, better treatment planning and evaluation of the results of various treatment options, an agreed terminology is needed to describe the entire pathology. Furthermore, a generally accepted classification of the deformities is necessary. Herein, the authors propose the use of the term “congenital hip disease” and its classification as dysplasia, low dislocation and high dislocation. Knowledge of the CHD natural history facilitates comprehension of the potential development and progression of the disease, which differs among the aforementioned types. This can lead to better understanding of the anatomical abnormalities found in the different CHD types and thus facilitate preoperative planning and choice of the most appropriate management for adult patients. The basic principles for improved results of total hip replacement in patients with CHD, especially those with low and high dislocation, are: Wide exposure, restoration of the normal centre of rotation and the use of special techniques and implants for the reconstruction of the acetabulum and femur. Application of these principles during total hip replacement in young female patients born with severe deformities of the hip joint has led to radical improvement of their quality of life.

Ultrasound in developmental dysplasia of the hip: A screening study in Sardinian newborns

INTRODUCTION

Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is the most frequent inborn deformity of the locomotor apparatus. Ultrasound screening is frequently used to identify DDH in view of the brevity of the preclinical period during which diagnosis is possible. Appropriate therapeutic intervention during this period can positively affects the evolution of the disorder.

METHODS

An unselected population of 1158 Sardinian neonates underwent ultrasound examinations of both hips, and findings were classified according to the method described by Graf. Patients were assessed by means of retrospective analysis to reveal cases of congenital dislocation of the hip joint. All cases were classified and treatment outcomes determined.

RESULTS

A total of 145 hips requiring treatment were observed in 122 children. Hip dysplasia and/or dislocation were diagnosed between the ages of 14 days and 3 months. One month after diagnosis ultrasound findings were normal in 94% of the infants with at least one hip classified as type 2a. The remaining 6% were classified as types 2b, 2c, D, and 3. All were treated with abduction splints, and normal hip development was observed after one or two months of treatment. Type 4 hips were referred to an orthopedic surgeon for specialist treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

When performed by skilled operators, ultrasonographic techniques are of considerable value in prescribing treatment for DDH. The satisfactory prognosis associated with early treatment of severe congenital dislocation of the hip joint underlines the advisability of scheduling routine hip screening programs to ensure early diagnosis and effective treatment of the disorder.