Complications
Destruction (avascular necrosis) of the ball shaped head of the thigh bone is the most frequent complication due to of DDH treatment which causes a blood vessel disturbance in the hip joint (full abduction causes malfunction of blood supplies in the hips of the each newborn baby) The crying (that cannot be stopped) is due to the painful dying cartilage cells in the thigh head .The crying stops after a few hours, when all cells with lack of blood have destroyed (avn).
It occurs most often when there is too big pressure or elongation of the nutritious vessel of the femoral head toward cup shaped socket during not gentle traumatic treatment or manipulations, for example during placing the head in or out of the socket. It cause elongation and shortening of all hip joint structure at the same time.
.
Not gentle and too long clinical examination may also lead to worsening of defect through mechanical damages and blood supply disturbances in femoral head. Clinical examination also lasts much more longer (even up to almost an hour)than ultrasound, which lasts only several seconds and it totally safe for patient.
That is why , in case of severe contractures caused by head dislocation, these contractures first need to be delicately eliminated (ex by Vojta technique) and then femoral head should be positioned properly in the acetabulum, or the contracture should be treated by an over- head extension, even with possibility delaying of treatment.
Medical statistics show a close correlation between an early diagnosis and complications due to traumatic treatment.Avascular necrosis of the hip (AVN) is reported in 0% to 60% of children who are treated for DDH.
Thanks to an early diagnosis and adequate treatment we are able to avoid a lot of serious problems( hospitalization, anesthesia, traction, manipulation, trauma, plaster immobilization, passive abduction frames and other serious secondary changes of all hip joint structures:a worsening hip dislocation, contractures, adhesions, growth malformations of bone and cartilage, aseptic necrosis of bone and cartilage, traumatic osteochondroses and traumatic osteoarthritis, chronic pain in the hip joint due to its destruction (osteoarthritis) and its replacement (30% of all cases) at a younger age and more frequently than normally,expensive and risky surgery in nearly 100% of cases,rash, pressure sores, and femoral nerve palsy, intraoperative complications and postoperative wound infections ).