The Evaluation Of The Treatment Outcomes With Pavlik Harness In Developmental Dysplasia Of The Hip

Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is the most common developmental abnormality that affects the hip. The aim of the treatment of DDH is to achieve the anatomical reduction for normal development of femoral head and acetabulum in the soonest possible time and to maintain this reduction. Therefore, Pavlik harness is primarily preferred. In the present study, it was aimed to compare the clinical and radiological results with literatre in the 0-6 month patients with DDH who were treated using Pavlik harness and also to investigate the effects of the patient variables on treatment outcomes. 82 hips of the 52 patients treated and followed-up by two authors were included in the study. The data from the patient files such as age at diagnosis, ultrasonography (US) type according to the Graf method, treatment duration, the findings of physcial examination, risk factors and presence of avascular necrosis (AVN) were analyzed. According to the Graf method; 2, 38, 33 and 9 hips were classified as type IIa-, IIb, IIc and III, respectively. Pavlik harness treatment was accepted successful in 72 (87.8%) hips whereas treatment was considered unsuccessful in 10 (12.2%) hips. The rate of type IIb hip was significantly higher in the successful treatment group. The rate of treatment failure was significantly higher in the type III hip. We have concluded that presence of limitation of abduction and Graf type III hip increased the rate of treatment failure in the Pavlik harness treatment of DDH.