Aims. When the present study was initiated, we changed the treatment for late-detected developmental dislocation of the hip (DDH) from several weeks of skin traction to markedly shorter traction time. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate this change, with special emphasis on the rate of stable closed reduction according to patient age, the development of the acetabulum, and the outcome at skeletal maturity. Methods. From 1996 to 2005, 49 children (52 hips) were treated for late-detected DDH. Their mean age was 13.3 months (3 to 33) at reduction. Prereduction skin traction was used for a mean of 11 days (0 to 27). Gentle closed reduction under general anaesthesia was attempted in all the hips. Concurrent pelvic osteotomy was not performed. The hips were evaluated at one, three and five years after reduction, at age eight to ten years, and at skeletal maturity. Mean age at the last follow-up was 15.7 years (13 to 21). Results. Stable closed reduction was obtained in 36 hips (69%). Open reduction was more often necessary in patients ≥ 18 months of age at reduction (50%) compared with those under 18 months (24%). Residual hip dysplasia/subluxation occurred in 12 hips and was significantly associated with avascular necrosis (AVN) and with high acetabular index and low femoral head coverage the first years after reduction. Further surgery, mostly pelvic and femoral osteotomies to correct subluxation, was performed in eight hips (15%). The radiological outcome at skeletal maturity was satisfactory (Severin grades 1 or 2) in 43 hips (83%). Conclusions. Gentle closed reduction can be attempted in children up to three years of age, but is likely to be less successful in children aged over 18 months. There is a marked trend to spontaneous improvement of the acetabulum after reduction, even in patients aged over 18 months and therefore simultaneous pelvic osteotomy is not always necessary

Adolescent and young adult patients with a history of DDH and residual hip dysplasia tend to have an early presentation of symptoms. In these patients, a severe acetabular dysplasia, aspheric femoral head and/or high greater trochanter are often observed. We evaluated the long-term results of rotational acetabular osteotomy (RAO) for symptomatic hip dysplasia in patients younger than 21 years. We performed 492 RAOs for hip dysplasia from 1987 to 2017. In these cases, patients younger than 21 years at the time of surgery were 40 patients (46 hips). We evaluated 34 patients (40 hips, follow-up rate; 85%) retrospectively. There were 32 females and two males; their mean age at the time of surgery was 17.8 years (12–21). The mean follow-up period was 16.8 years (1–30). In eight hips, isolated RAO was not adequate to correct instability and/or congruency. For these hips, four varus femoral osteotomies, two valgus femoral osteotomies and two greater trochanter displacement were combined with RAO. The mean clinical score (JOA) was improved from 80 to 90 significantly at the final follow-up. The mean CE angle was improved from −3.4 (−35–10) degrees to 27 (8–42) degrees, acetabular roof angle from 30 (15–60) degrees to 6.7 (−3–30) degrees, head lateralization index from 0.665 (0.5–1.0) to 0.614 (0.429–0.7) postoperatively. Radiographic OA progression was observed in four hips, but no hip was converted to THA. The RAO is an effective technique for surgical correction of a relatively severe dysplastic hip in adolescent and young adults

We treated 26 hips (24 consecutive patients) with residual dysplasia by a technique of incomplete triple pelvic osteotomy. The mean age of the patients was 21.6 years.

The mean values for the pre-operative centre-edge angle of Wiberg, the refined centre-edge angle, the acetabular angle of Sharp, the modified acetabular angle and femoral head lateralisation were 7.7°, −3.1°, 49.3°, 53.2° and 17.2 mm, respectively. After a mean follow-up of 3.3 years they were 27.0°, 13.0°, 38.9°, 44.3° and 15.9 mm, respectively (p < 0.05). The osteoarthritic grading changed adversely in one hip. The mean pre-operative and latest Harris hip scores were 74.9 and 93.0, respectively (p < 0.05).

This technique provides a stable osteotomy with maintenance of the posterior column which allows early mobilisation and minimal internal fixation. The technique is not complex and requires minimal blood transfusion. The use of an image intensifier is not necessary and harvesting of a subcristal bone graft avoids post-operative complications at the donor site.

We compared the dynamic instability of 25 dysplastic hips in 25 patients using triaxial accelerometry before and one year after periacetabular osteotomy. We also evaluated the hips clinically using the Harris hip score and assessed acetabular orientation by radiography before surgery and after one year. The mean overall magnitude of acceleration was significantly reduced from 2.30 m/s² (sd 0.57) before operation to 1.55 m/s² (sd 0.31) afterwards. The mean Harris hip score improved from 78.08 (47 to 96) to 95.36 points (88 to 100). The radiographic parameters all showed significant improvements.

This study suggests that periacetabular osteotomy provides pain relief, improves acetabular cover and reduces the dynamic instability in patients with dysplastic hips.