Ultrasound of hip joint of the child

The dysplasia of the hip joint is the underdevelopment of the hip joint, resulting in the incomplete or complete dislocation. Though such diagnosis is made for only 2-3 newborn babies out of one hundred, it is suspected much more often. This resulted in the fact that the examination of hip joints is recommended for all children as the preventive measure – screening examination.

This is due to the fact that the earlier the dysplasia is diagnosed, the more effective its treatment will be.

INDICATIONS FOR ULTRASOUND OF HIP JOINT

The first examination of hip joints of children is performed by the neonatologist in the maternity home; then its condition is controlled by the pediatrician during the scheduled examinations. In most cases, the consulting pediatrician or pediatric orthopedist orders the ultrasound examination of the hip joint of the child.

The ultrasound of the hip joint is indicated for the following symptoms:

• asymmetry of gluteal creases;
• one leg is shorter than the other one;
• “click sign”, occurring when abducting the leg (should be performed and assessed only by the doctor; if it is performed by the parents, it may be dangerous for the child);
• restraint, not permitting to abduct the thigh;
•  hypertonia of legs of the child.

If necessary, the ultrasound can be performed again, to observe the changes of the condition of the joint.

PERFORMING AN ULTRASOUND OF HIP JOINT

There is no necessity in special preparation of the child for the examination; it is just enough to dress the child so that to ensure a quick access of the doctor to the examined area.

During the ultrasound, the child is lying, while the doctor examines the condition of hip joints and adjacent tissues by using the ultrasound sensor. For that, the diagnostician turns the child to the right and to the left, depending on what joint is examined.

Thanks to the obtained data, the doctor assesses the condition of the joint, the joint capsule and its cartilaginous structures, can detect the inflammation processes and injuries in the adjacent muscles, ligaments ad joints.

ADVANTAGES OF ULTRASOUND OF HIP JOINTS

If there is a suspicion of the dysplasia of hip joint, you can undergo the ultrasound or X-ray diagnosis. However, the ultrasound has certain advantages:

• The ultrasound is harmless – there is no irradiation (during the X-ray examination, the child takes a little dose by direct exposure to the radiation);
• During the ultrasound, the doctor should not be fully motionless; so the doctor can change the position of his leg (functional tests) for obtaining more accurate data;
• Ultrasound can assess the condition of the juxtarticular soft tissues.

ULTRASOUND OF JOINTS OF THE CHILD

Except for the ultrasound of the hip joint, which is performed for all children under one year on a routine basis, and then, in case of presence of indications, you can undergo the examination of other joints for older children. The pediatrician,pediatric orthopedist, cardiologist or rheumatologist can order the ultrasound of the joints of children.

The indications for the examination may be:

• deformity of the joint;
• edema;
• reddening;
• traumas (contusions, fractures);
• complaints about the pain in the joint (the older children can complain, little children cannot determine where specifically they have pain).

In case of fractures and contusions, it is important to take into account that the ultrasound cannot be performed through the plaster splint – it is impenetrable for the ultrasound.

In Oxford Medical Kyiv clinic, only qualified specialists of the ultrasound diagnosis perform the examination on the modern expert-class scan of Philips manufacture. The junction of doctor’s experience and technique precision allows obtaining maximally reliable results.

You can make appointment for ultrasound of the hip joint of your child by calling us or filling out the form on the website – our operators will contact you and select the convenient time of your visit.