We treated 120 children between the ages of 12 and 31 months with 137 developmental dislocations of the hip and reviewed them at a mean follow-up of 14 years.

We had used two-directional arthrography of all hips before reduction to evaluate the anterior, superior, and posterior portions of the limbus. Of the 137 hips, 64 had no interposed limbus in the AP view of the arthrogram, but 45 of these had an interposed anterior or posterior portion of the limbus. The hips with good stability and no interposed limbus in either AP or lateral arthrograms had excellent results by closed methods; in the other cases the results were less satisfactory.

Our findings suggest that hips suitable for management by closed reduction can be identified by two-directional arthrography. Hips shown to have an interposed limbus are best managed by open reduction.