Newborn hip screening experience in Türkiye

Abstract

In this review article, newborn hip screening experience in Türkiye was summarized. The nationwide newborn hip screening program was officially initiated in 2013. The program currently includes the ultrasonographic examination of the hips of almost all newborns within the first two months of life. The rate of minor surgical interventions (closed/open reduction and casting) was 0.47 per 1,000 live births in 2015 and was 0.89 per 1,000 live births in 2020. Thus, an increase of 89% in the rate of minor surgical interventions was observed. The rate of major surgical interventions (pelvic/femoral osteotomies) was 0.74 per 1,000 live births in 2015 and was 0.21 per 1,000 live births in 2020. Thus, a decrease of 72% in the rate of major surgical interventions was observed between 2015 and 2020. While minor surgical interventions constituted about 39% of the overall surgical interventions in 2015, this ratio raised to 81% in 2020. Based on the experiences in Türkiye universal newborn ultrasonography (US) hip screening is advocated to lessen the rate of extensive surgeries in developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) during childhood and adulthood and to have as many as possible functional hips in the long-term follow-up of patients with DDH.