Early diagnosis at the CDH clinic.

In 1978, 488 of 8,211 registered newborn babies in the Haifa area were referred to us for suspected congenital dislocation of the hip. The findings were as follows: normal, 53%; justifying further follow-up, 40.5%; subluxation, 4% (19 cases); and dislocation, 2.5% (12 cases). The infants with subluxation or dislocation were not older than six months. Treatment of dislocation included: open reduction, 1; closed reduction under general anesthesia, 4; and reduction and treatment by abduction splints, 7. After this treatment, all hips were stable. Abduction splints were used in the 19 subluxation cases; there was no aseptic necrosis of the femoral head. All infants with minor deviations in the hip joints, such as consistent limited abduction, delayed appearance of epiphyseal ossification center or acetabular dysplasia, were deliberately grouped under "justifying follow-up." It is possible that these minor deviations harbor the buds of early osteoarthritis.