Clinical Practice Guidelines

The American College of Radiology published the following guidelines for DDH^[11]:

Imaging is not recommended for the initial imaging of children younger than 4 wk with an equivocal physical examination or risk factors shown for DDH.
Ultrasonography (US) of the hips is usually appropriate for the initial imaging of children between the ages of 4 wk and 4 mo with an equivocal physical examination or risk factors shown for DDH.
US of the hips is usually appropriate for the initial imaging of children younger than 4 mo with physical findings of DDH at initial imaging.
Radiograph of the pelvis is usually appropriate for the initial imaging of children 4-6 mo of age with a concern for DDH at initial imaging.
Radiograph of the pelvis is usually appropriate for the initial imaging of children older than 6 mo with a concern for DDH.
US of the hips is usually appropriate for children younger than 6 mo with a known diagnosis of DDH during nonoperative surveillance imaging in harness.

Medication

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Media Gallery

A normal anteroposterior (AP) pelvis radiograph.
Right posterior hip dislocation in a young woman following a high-speed motor vehicle collision (MVC).
Fracture-dislocation of the right hip. The bony fragments are likely part of the acetabulum.
Posterior dislocation of right hip with acetabular fracture.
Portable AP pelvis with subtle presentation of right posterior hip dislocation. Abnormal rotation is present, and the right femoral head appears smaller, indicating that it is further away.

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Author

Stephen R McMillan, MD Resident Physician, Clinical Assistant Instructor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Kings County Hospital Center, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center

Stephen R McMillan, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Christopher I Doty, MD, MAAEM, FAAEM, FACEP Tenured Professor of Emergency Medicine, University of Kentucky College of Medicine; Vice Chair of Education, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center

Christopher I Doty, MD, MAAEM, FAAEM, FACEP is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, Council of Residency Directors in Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Edward T Tham, MD Fellow in Emergency Ultrasound, Clinical Instructor, Department of Surgery, Section of Emergency Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine

Edward T Tham, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Received salary from Medscape for employment. for: Medscape.

Eric L Legome, MD Professor and Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine, Mount Sinai St Lukes and Mount Sinai West; Vice Chair of Academic Affairs, Department of Emergency Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Eric L Legome, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma, New York American College of Emergency Physicians, Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Barry E Brenner, MD, PhD, FACEP Program Director, Emergency Medicine, Einstein Medical Center Montgomery

Barry E Brenner, MD, PhD, FACEP is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Physicians, American Heart Association, American Thoracic Society, New York Academy of Medicine, New York Academy of Sciences, Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Additional Contributors

James E Keany, MD, FACEP Associate Medical Director, Emergency Services, Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Orange County at Mission

James E Keany, MD, FACEP is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Sports Medicine, California Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Acknowledgements

The authors and editors of Medscape Reference gratefully acknowledge the contributions of previous authors, Jerome FX Naradzay, MD, Paul Carter, MD, and Edward Newton, MD, to the development and writing of this article.

Sections Hip Dislocation Management in the ED
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Hip Dislocation Management in the ED Guidelines

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