Hip Ultrasounds Research Articles

Evaluating the impact of structured POCUS training during internal medicine clerkship and residency training

Background: Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) is a vital tool in rheumatology for detecting pathologies like osteophytes and joint effusion. Its integration into rheumatology electives during internal medicine clerkship and residency is limited, despite its emphasis in pre-clinical years. Methods: In this QIRB-approved, single-center, prospective study (2022–2023), third- and fourth-year medical students and internal medicine residents in a two-week rheumatology elective voluntarily completed online surveys. These surveys assessed their confidence using POCUS in rheumatology, using a 5-point Likert scale. Results: A survey of 25 residents and 10 medical students found that 84% of residents and 90% of students rated POCUS training as valuable or very valuable. Both groups felt more confident identifying knee joint effusion (average scores: 3.5 for students, 2.6 for residents) compared to other ultrasound techniques and pathologies. Confidence was lower in hip ultrasounds (2.20 for students, 1.68 for residents) and chondrocalcinosis identification (2.20 for students, 1.76 for residents). Among participants, 28% of residents and 70% of students had prior informal POCUS training. Previous training significantly increased comfort levels, with average scores of 2.86 for students and 2.30 for residents, compared to 2.69 and 1.91 for those without prior training (P-values: <0.001). Conclusion: Prior experience significantly enhances confidence and comfort, reinforcing the need for early, comprehensive, and targeted POCUS training in medical curricula to address proficiency gaps. Keywords: Education, medical, undergraduate, rheumatology, point-of-care systems, ultrasonography

The Feasibility of Prenatal Ultrasonic Screening for Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip.

developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is a condition characterized by abnormal hip development in infancy. Early diagnosis allows for effective treatment, while late presentation often necessitates complex surgical interventions. Current recommendations advise screening between the 6th and 8th week postnatal using an ultrasound, typically employing the Graf method. However, there is no universal consensus on whether ultrasound screening significantly increases treatment likelihood compared to clinical examination-guided ultrasound. This study aims to explore the feasibility of prenatal ultrasound for the early identification of DDH risk. This prospective observational study involved 100 pregnant women undergoing fetal hip ultrasounds during the second and third trimesters. Using the modified Graf method, alpha and beta angles were calculated on the fetus. Postnatally, alpha and beta angles were compared with the prenatal values. Prenatal ultrasound at the 24th week showed inconclusive results because of the difficulty in identification of Graf landmarks, while ultrasound at the 34th week proved to be a reliable and safe method for the quantitative determination of alpha and beta angles. Significant correlations were found between prenatal and postnatal alpha and beta angles. Moreover, significant differences in prenatal alpha and beta values were observed in patients developing mature/immature hips postnatally. Prenatal diagnostics show promise for predicting infant hip development. Further research is warranted to validate correlation strength and clinical applicability.

Routine ultrasound screening for hip dysplasia in children with clubfoot is not supported.

Despite the existence of guidelines for screening for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), there remains controversy regarding the need for routine ultrasound screening for DDH in patients with clubfoot due to an unclear correlation between the two conditions. The purpose of this study is to determine whether ultrasound screening for DDH in this population improved the diagnostic accuracy of DDH over standard assessment for patient risk factors and physical exam. This is a retrospective cross-sectional review of infants diagnosed with idiopathic clubfoot who underwent hip ultrasounds to assess for DDH as identified by keyword search in an institutional radiological database at a tertiary care paediatric hospital. Patient demographics, risk factors for DDH, physical exam findings, and ultrasound results were recorded. Of the 120 patients who met the inclusion criteria between 2003 and 2018, 8 had hip dysplasia confirmed on ultrasound (6.7%). All these patients either had known risk factors for hip dysplasia or had an abnormal physical exam finding suggestive of hip instability or dislocation as performed by an orthopaedic surgeon on their initial consultation. A detailed history to determine risk factors and a thorough physical exam are adequate to determine the need for hip ultrasound in infants with idiopathic clubfoot. Routine ultrasound screening of all patients with clubfoot is likely unnecessary and may pose a significant burden on the health care system.

Paediatric hip ultrasound.

The aim of this study was to investigate the agreement in interpretation of the quality of the paediatric hip ultrasound examination, the reliability of geometric and morphological assessment, and the relationship between these measurements. Four investigators evaluated 60 hip ultrasounds and assessed their quality based the standard plane of Graf et al. They measured geometric parameters, described the morphology of the hip, and assigned the Graf grade of dysplasia. They analyzed one self-selected image and one randomly selected image from the ultrasound series, and repeated the process four weeks later. The intra- and interobserver agreement, and correlations between various parameters were analyzed. In the assessment of quality, there a was moderate to substantial intraobserver agreement for each element investigated, but interobserver agreement was poor. Morphological features showed weak to moderate agreement across all parameters but improved to significant when responses were reduced. The geometric measurements showed nearly perfect agreement, and the relationship between them and the morphological features showed a dose response across all parameters with moderate to substantial correlations. There were strong correlations between geometric measurements. The Graf classification showed a fair to moderate interobserver agreement, and moderate to substantial intraobserver agreement. This investigation into the reliability of the interpretation of hip ultrasound scans identified the difficulties in defining what is a high-quality ultrasound. We confirmed that geometric measurements are reliably interpreted and may be useful as a further measurement of quality. Morphological features are generally poorly interpreted, but a simpler binary classification considerably improves agreement. As there is a clear dose response relationship between geometric and morphological measurements, the importance of morphology in the diagnosis of hip dysplasia should be questioned.

Does Screening Ultrasound Timing in Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip Need to be Adjusted for Moderate Preterm and Near-term Infants: A Prospective Study.

An initial screening ultrasound is essential for patients at higher risk of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) due to breech presentation or a family history of DDH. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends screening ultrasounds to be performed after 6 weeks of age to reduce the rate of false positives. However, there is limited evidence regarding whether these screening ultrasounds need to be adjusted for gestational age in prematurity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of moderate preterm and near-term births on screening hip ultrasounds for high-risk DDH populations. We identified all prospectively enrolled patients in a single-center database referred for screening hip ultrasound for DDH. We included those hips referred for risk factors of DDH, including breech presentation, family history of DDH, or hip click, and excluded those with known dysplasia or referral for hip instability. Each ultrasound was measured by a pediatric radiologist to determine the alpha angle and femoral head coverage. Patients were classified as "premature" if born at <37 weeks gestation or "full term" if born at ≥37 weeks gestation. All patients underwent screening hip ultrasound between 5 and 8 weeks of age. Sonographic markers of dysplasia and the incidences of abnormal ultrasound and Pavlik harness treatment were compared between cohorts. Significance was set at P <0.05. A total of 244 hips in 122 patients were included, 58 hips in the premature cohort and 186 hips in the full-term cohort. The premature cohort had a significantly decreased gestational age compared with the full-term cohort (35.4 ± 1.1 vs 38.5 ± 1.1wk, respectively, P < 0.001). However, there was no difference between premature and full-term cohorts in sex distribution (69% vs 75%, females, P = 0.39), unadjusted age at the time of ultrasound (6.6 ± 0.7 vs 6.8±0.7wk, respectively, P = 0.07), or referral reason (P = 0.14). On hip ultrasound, there was no difference between premature and full-term cohorts with respect to alpha angle (62.6 ± 3.3 vs 62.2 ± 5.3 degrees, P = 0.41), femoral head coverage (54.9 ± 6.3 vs 55.1 ± 10.6, P = 0.19), rate of abnormal ultrasound (18.3% vs 20.7%, respectively, P = 0.68), or the rate of Pavlik harness treatment (0% vs 5.3%, respectively, P = 0.12). There was no significant difference in alpha angle or femoral head coverage between premature and full-term patients at 5 to 8 weeks of unadjusted age. This preliminary data suggests that screening ultrasounds can be performed without adjusting for prematurity. Level II, prognostic study.

Natural progression of the pubofemoral distance with age and its correlation with future acetabular index

ObjectivesThis study investigated the progression of pubofemoral distance (PFD) with age and assessed the correlation between PFD and late acetabular index (AI) measurements.MethodsThis prospective observational study was conducted between January 2017 and December 2021. We enrolled 223 newborns who underwent the first, second, and third hip ultrasounds, and pelvis radiograph at a mean age of 18.6 days, 3.1 months, 5.2 months, and 6.8 months, respectively. The difference between PFD measured at serial ultrasounds and the correlation with AI were analyzed.ResultsThe PFD increased significantly (p < 0.001) at serial measurements. The mean PFD at the first, second, and third ultrasounds were 3.3 (2.0–5.7), 4.3 (2.9–7.2), and 5.1 (3.3–8.0) mm, respectively. The PFD at three ultrasounds were all significantly (p < 0.001) and positively correlated with AI, with the Pearson correlation coefficients being 0.658, 0.696, and 0.753 for the first, second, and third ultrasounds, respectively. Using AI as reference, the diagnostic ability of PFD was calculated by the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve, which was 0.845, 0.902, and 0.938 for the first, second, and third PFD, respectively. For the first, second, and third ultrasounds, PFD cutoff values of ≥ 3.9, ≥ 5.0, and ≥ 5.7 mm, respectively, yielded the greatest sensitivity and specificity in predicting late abnormal AI.ConclusionThe PFD naturally progresses with age and is positively correlated with AI. The PFD has potential for predicting residual dysplasia. However, the cutoff for abnormal PFD values may require adjustment according to the patient’s age.Key Points• The pubofemoral distance measured in hip ultrasonography naturally increases as the infant’s hips mature.• The early pubofemoral distance demonstrates a positive correlation with late acetabular index measurements.• The pubofemoral distance may help physicians predict abnormal acetabular index. However, the cutoff for abnormal pubofemoral distance values may require adjustment according to patient’s age.

A new test (Sacco Manni test 3) of congenital dysplasia of the HIP: A Cross Sectional and Analytic Study

Purpose Or Objective: Without a prompt diagnosis, congenital dysplasia of the hip in newborns can lead severe sequelae. Current screening strategies emphatize the use of ORTOLANI AND BARLOW tests, yet they exhibit low sensibility. The purpose of this study is to evaluate for a new test as a screening tool for congenital dysplasia of the hip. Methods: to evaluate the new test, a cross sectional and analytic study was performed with a non-probabilistic sampling method. Patients with either a positive ORTOLANI AND BARLOW TESTS were evaluated with the new test (Sacco Manni test 3) and hip ultrasounds. Controls were infants With negative ORTOLANI AND BARLOW and SACCOMANNI TESTs and also had an ultrasound performed. Results: CONGENITAL dysplasia of the hip was confirmed in 83 to 130 cases (64%), and 2 of 130 controls (2%). The new test had a sensitivity of 76% AND A specificity of 94% as compared to the ORTOLANI AND BARLOW TESTS (sensitivity 31 to 32 %, specificity 93 to 100% (p inferior to 0,05). Conclusion: this new test could serve as another clinical tool for the initial screening of congenital dysplasia of the hip in in fans or newborns. Its promising results against traditional screening procedures might potentially impact diagnosis and prognosis for patients with congenital dysplasia of hip.

Factors for selective ultrasound screening in newborns with developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH).

Hip ultrasound screening for DDH provides better sensitivity compared to physical examination. Due to a lower prevalence and limited resources, selective hip ultrasound in newborns at risk could be considered a proper screening protocol in Thailand and Asian countries. This study was aimed to evaluate risk factors and define criteria for selective screening. A case-control study was conducted in 2020. All newborns with hip ultrasound screening were included. Cases were defined as newborns with abnormal hip ultrasounds, while controls were those with normal studies. Inter and intra-rater reliability were evaluated. All factors were analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression. The model performance was tested by Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness of fit. Internal validity was performed by the split data method. Area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was estimated. Ninety-five newborns (29 cases and 66 controls) were included. Eighty percent of cases and 58% of controls were female. The gestational age was 36.6 and 37.7 weeks in case and control, respectively. Female, breech presentation, positive Ortolani test, positive Barlow test, and limited hip abduction were significant factors with odds ratio of 2.82, 5.12, 34.21, 69.64, and 5.48, respectively. The final model included breech presentation, positive Ortolani test, and positive Barlow test. The model cut-off value 15.02 provided sensitivity (93.10%) and specificity were (80.30%). The area under the ROC curve was 0.9308. The split data remained significant internal validity for all factors with p-value < 0.05. Careful history taking and physical examination are essential to identify the risk factors for DDH. Newborns with breech presentation, positive Ortolani test and positive Barlow test should be screened by hip ultrasound.

Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip Is Not Associated with Breech Presentation in Preterm Infants.

The aim of the study is to (1) determine the incidence of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) in preterm infants born prior to 35 completed weeks' gestation in a breech presentation, and (2) evaluate if the association between breech presentation and DDH in full-term infants holds for premature infants. This study design comprises retrospective review of infants born between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2017, at <35 weeks' gestation and admitted to the NICU. Infants had hip ultrasounds at 4 to 6 weeks' corrected age if they were born in a breech presentation with a stable hip examination. We excluded infants born in a presentation other than breech or vertex, had no documentation of presentation at birth, or if they died within the first year. We included 1,533 infants. Preterm infants <35 weeks' gestation born in the breech versus vertex position had an incidence of DDH of 0.47% (2/428) and 0.36% (4/1,105), respectively. There was no significant difference in the incidence of DDH between infants born in the breech versus vertex position (Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests). The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of breech presentation in detecting DDH were 33, 72, 0.47, and 99.6%, respectively. There is no association between breech presentation and DDH in preterm infants <35 weeks' gestation. Obtaining hip ultrasounds on preterm infants <35 weeks' gestation born in the breech presentation with a normal hip examination is not recommended. · Breech position is a risk factor for DDH in term newborns.. · Preterm infants are often in the breech position until 37 weeks' gestation.. · This study shows that breech presentation is not a risk factor for DDH in preterm infants..

Ultrasound is an accurate method compared to radiography for diagnosing the presence of acute hip luxation in cadaver dogs and can identify the direction of luxation with variable reliability.

Acute hip luxation is a common musculoskeletal injury in dogs, with radiographs being the preferred imaging modality for confirming the diagnosis. In large animal and human medicine, ultrasound is often utilized for this purpose. The objectives of this three-part study were to utilize a canine cadaver model to establish ultrasonographic features of hip luxation and evaluate the accuracy and reliability for diagnosing hip luxation with ultrasound. For the first prospective, exploratory study, a cadaver model was developed that allowed manual luxation and subsequent ultrasonography of the hip joint while in four directions of luxation. For the second prospective, anatomic study, a description of the ultrasonographic features for each direction of luxation was created. For the third prospective diagnostic accuracy, observer agreement study, 16 residency-trained and intern veterinarians without prior experience in this technique performed randomized, repeated ultrasound exams on cadaver hips assigned as normal or luxated (equally distributed between the 4 directions). A total of 1140 hip ultrasounds were performed with good accuracy (median, 90.8%; range, 61.4-100%), sensitivity (89.5%), and specificity (80.0%) for diagnosing the presence of hip luxation. Accuracy for identifying the correct quadrant of luxation was significantly lower (mean, 58.6%; range, 24.6-90.8%; P <0.001). Intraobserver accuracy agreement varied widely from none to almost perfect agreement, and interobserver agreement ranged from slight to moderate agreement. The results of this study supported the use of ultrasound for diagnosing the presence of hip luxation but did not support replacing radiographs for diagnosing the direction of luxation.

Hip Maturation: Are 2 Diapers Better Than 1?

Hip Maturation: Are 2 Diapers Better Than 1?

Double diapering facilitates hip maturation in newborns

Double diapering may help to maintain a baby's hips in flexion and abduction posture, but the efficacy in facilitating hip maturation has never been verified. We investigated whether double diapering results in greater improvement of the alpha angle in newborn babies. This prospective study enrolled newborns with Graf type IIa immature hips and assigned them to the double-diaper or single-diaper group by the day of birth in a week. Parents were instructed on proper hip positioning, except for diapering. Change in the alpha angle from newborn to 1 month after birth, rate of improvement to bilateral Graf type I hips in 1 month, and number of ultrasound examinations and orthopaedic clinic visits in the first year were compared between the two groups. Seventy newborns with 102 type IIa hips were included from January to December 2017. They were allocated to the double-diaper group (n=33) and single-diaper group (n=37). With a comparable sex ratio, gestational age, and newborn alpha angle, the double-diaper group had a greater increase of alpha angles in 1 month than the single-diaper group (+7.9° vs. +5.2°, t-test, p=0.011). Twenty-eight babies in the double-diaper group (84.8%) and 20 babies in the single-diaper group (54.1%) improved to having bilateral Graf type I hips (chi-square test, p=0.006). Under the same clinical management pathway, subsequent clinical visits and hip ultrasounds before 1 year were significantly reduced in the double-diaper group. Double diapering enhances hip maturation and reduces clinical costs in newborns with physiological immature hips, but the therapeutic role for hip dysplasia requires further study.

Yield of Plain Radiography in Addition to Ultrasound Among Children with Hip Pain.

Children with limp or hip pain often undergo radiographs and ultrasound as part of their initial evaluation. Previous research suggests that hip radiography may have limited utility, and early use of ultrasound may safely reduce the use of radiographs. We sought to assess the utility of radiography in addition to ultrasound by evaluating the rate of bony abnormalities present on hip radiographs among children with and without effusion on ultrasound. We also assessed the agreement of point-of-care and Radiology-performed ultrasounds for the detection of effusion. This is a retrospective cohort study of children presenting to a pediatric emergency department with acute atraumatic limp or hip pain. Data from patients who received both hip ultrasound and hip radiography as part of their evaluation were analyzed. We included both point-of-care and Radiology-performed hip ultrasounds. We identified 134 patients who received both hip ultrasound and hip radiographs. Sixty-eight patients (51%) had a hip effusion present on ultrasound and none of these had bony abnormalities on radiography (0%, 95% confidence interval 0-5.3%). Of the 66 patients (49%) who had no effusion on hip ultrasound, 2 patients were found to have a bony abnormality (3%, 95% confidence interval 0.4-10.5%). For patients who received both point-of-care and Radiology-performed ultrasound, the overall agreement for diagnosis of effusion was 92.6% (kappa=0.82). We observed that no children with an effusion on ultrasound had bony pathology on plain radiography, suggesting that the routine performance of hip radiography may not be indicated in all children. Future studies are needed to evaluate the negative predictive value of effusion in larger numbers of patients with known bony abnormalities.

Developmental dysplasia of the hip: Beyond the screening. Physical exam is our pending subject

IntroductionDevelopmental dysplasia of the hip is a common cause of disability among children. Early detection leads to better prognosis. There are some risk factors that increase the possibility of developing a dysplasia. But not every child with developmental dysplasia has them. This means that physical examination is still very useful to detect them. However, based on clinical findings, the amount of requested ultrasound seems higher than it would be necessary. MethodsRetrospective cohort study of infants born in a single tertiary care centre. Babies in which hip ultrasound was performed were included. During the period of study, patients with diagnosis of developmental hip dysplasia were also included, as well as the amount of ultrasounds requested during this period, and their efficiency. ResultsOut of the 456 newborns included, 530 hip ultrasounds were performed. Just 3 of the total 12 dysplasias had risk factors. The others were diagnosed through clinical examination. ConclusionsScreening protocols are useful to detect hip dysplasia but clinical examination is very important to detect those cases without risk factors. However, the number of tests is higher than expected according to the diagnosed dysplasias.

Is Radiographic Imaging Necessary for Identifying Late Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip in Breech Infants with Normal Ultrasounds?

Purpose. The goal of our study was to investigate the prevalence of late DDH cases in breech infants who had a normal screening hip ultrasound and subsequent follow-up hip x-ray imaging. Methods. Infants with a history of intrauterine breech position, normal hip ultrasound within 3-months of birth, and follow-up hip x-rays within 2-years were included. Acetabular indices were measured on a supine AP pelvis radiograph. Results. Fifty-six patients had breech presentation at birth, a normal hip ultrasound, and returned for radiographic evaluation within 2 years. Of those, 11/112 (10%) of hips had late DDH based on their radiographic images at 1 standard deviation greater than normative values from age-adjusted controls. No infants showed hip dysplasia at 2 standard deviations greater than normative values from age-adjusted controls. Conclusions. Our results support previous studies that follow up should be considered for infants with breech presentation and normal hip ultrasounds near birth. Level of evidence. II.

Displasia evolutiva de caderas: más allá del cribado. La exploración, nuestra asignatura pendiente

IntroductionDevelopmental dysplasia of the hip is a common cause of disability among children. Early detection leads to better prognosis. There are some risk factors that increase the possibility of developing a dysplasia. But not every child with developmental dysplasia has them. This means that physical examination is still very useful to detect them. However, based on clinical findings, the amount of requested ultrasound seems higher than it would be necessary. MethodsRetrospective cohort study of infants born in a single tertiary care centre. Babies in which hip ultrasound was performed were included. During the period of study, patients with diagnosis of developmental hip dysplasia were also included, as well as the amount of ultrasounds requested during this period, and their efficiency. ResultsOut of the 456 new-borns included, 530 hip ultrasounds were performed. Just 3 of the total 12 dysplasias had risk factors. The others were diagnosed through clinical examination. ConclusionsScreening protocols are useful to detect hip dysplasia but clinical examination is very important to detect those cases without risk factors. However, the number of tests is higher than expected according to the diagnosed dysplasias.

Ultrasound Is an Alternative to X-ray for Diagnosing Developmental Dysplasia of the Hips in 6-Month-Old Children.

Infants previously treated for developmental dysplasia of the hips (DDH) are routinely imaged with ultrasound initially and reimaged with an anteroposterior (AP) pelvis X-ray at 6months of age to assess for dysplasia. It has become convention to transition from ultrasound to AP X-ray at 6months of age, but no study has demonstrated that ultrasound is inadequate at this age. The purpose of this study was to confirm that ultrasound for the 6-month DDH evaluation is a feasible alternative to the standard X-ray. Thirty-one 5- to 7-month-old infants undergoing AP pelvis X-ray related to previous Pavlik harness treatment for DDH or to a history of breech presentation were prospectively enrolled. All patients were imaged with an AP pelvis X-ray and bilateral hip ultrasounds. Three senior orthopedic surgeons unfamiliar with the patient histories evaluated both types of imaging for standard measures of hip dysplasia, including acetabular index (AI), alpha angle, and bony rim percent coverage of the femoral head. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated for the X-ray and ultrasound measures. Good quality ultrasound images were obtained in all patients, despite the presence of the ossific nucleus in 66% of the hips. All three reviewers correctly diagnosed the one dislocated hip via both X-ray and ultrasound. There were no false negatives on ultrasound, and none of the patients with negative ultrasounds required treatment during the mean 26months of follow up. An increased AI on X-ray was correlated with lower percent coverage of the femoral head on ultrasound. Ultrasound is a technically feasible DDH imaging modality that can be used as an alternative to X-ray for 6-month-olds.

Ultrasound screening for developmental dysplasia of the hip after 4 weeks increases exam accuracy and decreases follow-up visits

Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is a preventable and treatable disorder in children. Hip ultrasound is recommended for early detection of affected hips. The timing of the initial hip ultrasound and the frequency of subsequent ultrasounds are controversial topics when considering costs and efficiency. Registry data from the Taiwanese Screening and Audit System for Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip were obtained for biometry of hip ultrasounds using the Graf classification and relevant demographic data from 2016. Initial screening results and final case management outcomes were compared to determine screening accuracy and the number of visits needed to determine final outcomes. In total, we screened 1683 newborns in 2016. Of the initial cases screened within 28 days (n=1168), 86.6% were negative, 10.1% positive, and 3.3% intermediate, while of the cases screened after 28 days (n=515), 97.3% were negative, 0.8% positive, and 1.9% intermediate. Screening of the newborns' final hip outcomes revealed that 1641 (97.6%) were negative, treatment was administered in 8 cases (0.4%), and 34 (2.0%) cases were lost to follow-up. When comparing screening times, screening after 28 days improved specificity (89%-97%), and later screenings were associated with fewer visits needed to confirm hip outcomes (aOR=0.19, CI95%=0.10-0.38, p<0.001) and improved accuracy (aOR=13.84, CI95%=4.23-45.26, p<0.001). This study provides evidence of the benefits of screening for DDH after 28 days, namely: reduced false positives, improved screening accuracy, and a reduced requirement for follow-up visits. Delaying screening can also potentially reduce unnecessary parental anxiety, eliminate unnecessary healthcare burdens, and reduce costs. We recommend performing hip ultrasound screening for newborns after 28 days.

Which Clinical Exam findings are most predictive of an abnormal hip ultrasound in the newborn? A chart review from a Canadian pediatric hospital

Abstract BACKGROUND Developmental dysplasia of the hips is a condition that if not detected early and managed properly can lead to lifelong morbidity. The incidence of DDH in most developed countries is reported to be 1.5 to 20 cases per 1000 births. The Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care reports fair evidence to include a serial clinical examination of the hips by a trained clinician in the periodic health examination of all infants until they are walking independently. The indications for ultrasound examination are less clear. Guidelines for the clinical exam cite indications of imaging to be unstable hip, hip laxity, hip click and asymmetric skin folds. Given that some of these findings are extremely common it is likely that a large number of normal hips are being imaged unnecessarily. OBJECTIVES The purpose of this project is to determine which clinical findings are most predictive of an abnormal hip on ultrasound. It is hoped that this will assist the paediatrician or family doctor to balance unnecessary testing with the fear of missing an abnormal hip. DESIGN/METHODS All hip ultrasounds performed at a Canadian children’s hospital during 2016/17 on infants less than one year were reviewed for indication and outcome. The birth rate for the same year was 2,861. A total of 528 hip ultrasounds were performed. 156 ultrasounds were ordered by Paediatric Orthopaedic specialists and thus were not reviewed, leaving 372 ultrasounds for review. Ultrasounds were classified by age category at the time of imaging: &lt;14 days, 14–28 days, 29–60 days, 61 days-6 months, 6 months-1 year. Tests were ordered by paediatricians, neonatologists, family doctors and nurse practitioners. The indications for ultrasound were categorized into 9 categories; hip click, hip laxity, unstable hip (positive Barlow, dislocatable hip), asymmetric skin folds, breech presentation, family history of DDH, hip click + breech, hip laxity + breech, or no indication given. When multiple terms were noted on requisition a hierarchy was followed with hip laxity&gt;hip click&gt;asymmetric skin folds. Ultrasound reports reported as normal or abnormal. RESULTS The primary indication for hip ultrasound was asymmetric skin folds, (N-132); followed by Hip laxity (N-101), Hip click (N-72), Unstable hip (positive Barlow, dislocatable hip) (N-31), no indication noted (N-23), Breech presentation (N-8), Family History of DDH (N-3) and other (N-2). The ultrasound findings with asymmetric skin folds revealed 100% of tests were normal (132/132) on first ultrasound regardless of baby’s age at imaging. For Hip laxity, 93% (94/101) ultrasounds were normal following second ultrasound and for hip click, 99% (71/72) were normal following second ultrasound. For those ultrasounds that were performed for hip click and hip laxity (N-173), only one ultrasound would have been required if performed at greater than 8 weeks of age. In the unstable hip, 82% (28/34) were normal following second ultrasound. None of the ultrasounds performed for risk factors such as family history or breech presentation were abnormal but when combined with a lax hip exam 3 were reported as abnormal. In our study, a diagnosis of DDH was given to 15/2,861 newborns. Of these 15; the clinical finding was 7/16 hip laxity alone, 6/16 unstable hip, 3/16 hip laxity + breech. CONCLUSION Though practitioners must continue to be vigilent in clinical hip surveillance, symmetric skin folds and isolated hip click are low yield indications for hip ultrasound in the newborn. For hip laxity or unstable hip, waiting until 8 weeks improves the reliability of the ultrasound result and thus reducing unnecessary retesting. The breech presentation alone did not increase diagnosis but when combined with exam was predictive.

Incidence of acetabular dysplasia in breech infants following initially normal ultrasound: the effect of variable diagnostic criteria.

PurposeThis study aimed to determine the incidence of acetabular dysplasia at six months of age in patients with breech presentation and previously normal hip ultrasounds, reporting primary radiographic measurements to allow for comparison with other patient cohorts.MethodsA retrospective analysis of breech infants with initially normal clinical examinations and hip ultrasounds was performed to determine the rate of subsequent acetabular dysplasia and to characterise the distribution of acetabular index (AI). At approximately six months of age, AI was measured bilaterally on anteroposterior (AP) pelvic radiographs and reported using descriptive statistics.ResultsA total of 94 hips in 47 breech infants were eligible for analysis. All infants demonstrated normal ultrasound findings at a mean age of 6.9 ± 1.7 weeks and returned for follow-up at a mean age of 6.4 ± 0.5 months. On AP pelvic radiographs, mean right hip AI was 25.0°, with an interquartile range (IQR) (25th -75th percentile) of 23° to 27° and mean left hip AI was 25.5°, with an IQR of 22° to 28°. If one applies a single commonly used threshold value for defining dysplasia (AI ≥ 30°), 10/94 hips (10.6%) meet diagnostic criteria. Alternatively, strict adherence to previously established normative AI values stratified by gender and laterality results in 4/94 hips (4.3%) qualifying as significantly dysplastic.ConclusionsThe proportion of breech infants who, despite normal initial ultrasound findings, were diagnosed with dysplasia at six months supports observation of breech-born patients beyond six weeks. Reliance on different threshold values for diagnosing acetabular dysplasia can lead to discrepancies in incidence rates.