Traumatic dislocation of the hip in an 18-month child: A case report and review of literature

Abstract

Traumatic dislocation of the hip joint in children is an uncommon injury and is considered as an orthopedic emergency. In children, it can occur as a result of minimal trauma, which is attributed to a soft pliable acetabulum and ligamentous laxity. In skeletally mature adolescents, a greater force is required to dislocate the hip joint. Delayed reduction will result in long-term complications such as avascular necrosis and degenerative arthritis. Avascular necrosis is related to the duration of dislocation. A poorer prognosis is associated with delay in reduction beyond 6 hours, advanced skeletal maturity, or multiple traumas. We report a 18-month child with traumatic dislocation of hip that was reduced within 6 hours of occurrence. The follow up visit after 1 year revealed normal physical examination and no evidence of any post-traumatic changes were noted.. Post-reduction treatment remains without a consensus.