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Ultrasound in the management of the position of the femoral head during treatment in a spica cast after reduction of hip dislocation in developmental dysplasia of the hip

Department of Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery

R. A. J. Nievelstein, MD, PhD, Radiologist; and F. J. A. Beek, MD, PhD, Radiologist

Department of Radiology Wilhelmina Children’s Hospital, UMC Utrecht, Lundlaan 6, 3584 EA Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Correspondence should be sent to Dr H. E. H. Pruijs.

In this prospective study of 18 hips we compared the efficacy of ultrasound with CT in determining the position of the femoral head in a spica cast after closed or open reduction in children with developmental dysplasia of the hip. Ultrasound was performed through the perineal opening of the cast. With a transinguinal approach, the superior ramus of the pubis, the acetabulum, the femoral head and the femoral neck can be depicted in one plane. The CT and ultrasound images were blinded and reviewed by two of the authors. Ultrasound was inconclusive in the first two reductions since the perineal opening was too small to see all the landmarks in one plane. In the following 16 reductions the landmarks were well defined and interpretation of the CT and ultrasound was similar. The perineal opening in the spica cast should be made in such a way that the ultrasound probe can be positioned in the groin so that the landmarks can be shown in one plane.