Abstract
1. Some problems in the early diagnosis and management of congenital dislocation are discussed.
2. In a well-staffed maternity unit one dislocation completely escaped early detection in every 8,000 births over the period 1962 to 1968 inclusive.
3. The complications of early treatment on a Malmö splint are initial failure to obtain reduction, failure to maintain reduction, deformity of the upper femoral epiphysis or metaphysis, and persistent anteversion of the femoral neck.
4. Arthrography suggests that failure of early splintage and deformity of the upper femur are due to attempted reduction in the presence of an inverted limbus.
5. A trial method of treatment of frank displacement in the first year of life has been carried out by combining excision of the inverted limbus with a period in a frog position plaster to correct anteversion. This method avoided changes in the upper femur but failed to correct anteversion in four out of eighteen cases.
