Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip

Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip is a fairly common condition which goes unrecognised in many people. We are all on a spectrum of ‘normal’ when it comes to the shape of our hips. This means that at one end of the scale, the problem will be severe and will be picked up in childhood. However, some people will have a degree of dysplasia which makes it more likely that they will develop arthritis earlier in their life than if their hips had been a ‘normal’ shape. If this is picked up before arthritis develops, it can be possible to correct some of the abnormalities to delay the progression of arthritis. This involves complex surgery carried out by a few surgeons around the country.

Once there is a progression to arthritis, then the treatment will depend on the degree of the arthritis. Treatments will range from lifestyle adjustments and analgesia through to total hip replacement surgery.

Hip replacement surgery in patients with DDH can be more technically challenging and have a different risk profile. However, I regularly perform hip replacement surgery for patients with DDH and I am experienced with the techniques required to achieve excellent results.