Open reduction for congenital dislocation of the hip: comparison of the long-term results of the wide exposure method and Ludloff's method.

We compared the long-term clinical and radiographic results of two methods of open reduction for congenital dislocation of the hip; a wide exposure method (360-degree circumferential capsulotomy) versus Ludloff's method (limited capsulotomy via the medial approach). Thirty-one hips in 24 patients assigned to group A received the wide exposure method and 32 hips in 27 patients assigned to group B had the Ludloff reduction. All patients were surgically reduced at less than 3 years of age. The follow-up averaged 16 years. None of the hips in group A required additional operations; however, 34.4% of the hips in group B did. At the latest review, 26 (83.9%) of the hips in group A were rated as Severin class I or II. Except for one patient, none had pain or a limp. Of the hips in group B, 18 (56.3%) were rated as Severin class I or II. Three patients had pain or Trendelenburg gait. Avascular necrosis occurred in 3.2% of hips in group A and in 21.9% of hips in group B. The wide exposure method is capable of completely releasing the posterosuperior tightness resulting from capsular adhesion to the ilium and the contracted short external rotators. Releasing the posterosuperior tightness from these structures seemed to provide a better chance of achieving an anatomically and functionally satisfactory hip.