Congenital dislocation of the hip. Determination of the anterior-posterior position of the femoral head on the Chassard-Lapine view.

Abstract

Many technics to determine the anterior-posterior position of the femoral head in the congenitally abnormal hip have seemed to work well for their proponents but have not received universal favor, since calculations (3) or special mechanical devices (6) are needed. The purpose of this paper is to again call attention to the usefulness of the Chassard-Lapine view in ascertaining this position. This view was described by Chassard and Lapine (2) in 1923 as a method of determining the bi-ischiatic diameter in pregnancy. It was used by Ettinger and Elkin (4) in 1954 in examination of the sigmoid colon, and in 1955 Broderick (1) called attention to its application in various hip disorders. In spite of its simplicity, however, its application has not been popular. In the last 10 cases of congenital hip dislocation seen at The Long Island College Hospital, Brooklyn, N. Y., this view has proved of great assistance because it shows the true anterior-posterior position of the femoral head in relation to the acetabul...