In the newborn with congenital dislocation of the hip, many resolve without treatment in the first few weeks of life - treatment is guided in part by the use of ultrasound to assess the degree of acetabular dysplasia.
The padded, malleable Von Rosen splint may be used in small babies for up to 3 months - it holds the legs flexed and abducted, but never beyond the horizontal.
The Pavlik Harness may be used for older infants who have mastered the art of crawling out of the Von Rosen splint. On average, splinting is for 6 to 8 weeks. When stability has been obtained, the splint can be discarded, but the child must be followed for the infrequent, late secondary dislocation.
Care must be taken to avoid avascular necrosis which occurs in between 2 and 20% of cases.
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