Disparity between Clinical and Ultrasound Examinations in Neonatal Hip Screening

BACKGROUND: For early detection of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), neonatal hip screening using clinical examination and/or ultrasound has been recommended. Although there have been many studies on the reliability of both screening techniques, there is still controversy in the screening strategies; clinical vs. selective or universal ultrasound screening. To determine the screening strategy, we assessed the agreement among the methods; clinical examination by an experienced pediatric orthopedic surgeon, sonographic morphology, and sonographic stability. METHODS: From January 2004 to June 2009, a single experienced pediatric orthopedic surgeon performed clinical hip screenings for 2,686 infants in the neonatal unit and 43 infants who were referred due to impressions of hip dysplasia before 3 months of age. Among them, 156 clinically unstable or high-risk babies selectively received bilateral hip ultrasound examinations performed by the same surgeon using the modified Graf method. The results were analyzed statistically to detect any correlations between the clinical and sonographic findings. RESULTS: Although a single experienced orthopedic surgeon conducted all examinations, we detected only a limited relationship between the results of clinical and ultrasound examinations. Ninety-three percent of the clinically subluxatable hips were normal or immature based on static ultrasound examination, and 74% of dislocating hips and 67% of limited abduction hips presented with the morphology below Graf IIa. A total of 80% of clinically subluxatable, 42% of dislocating and 67% of limited abduction hips appeared stable or exhibited minor instability on dynamic ultrasound examination. About 7% of clinically normal hips were abnormal upon ultrasound examination; 5% showed major instability and 3% showed dysplasia above Graf IIc. Clinical stability had small coefficients between ultrasound examinations; 0.39 for sonographic stability and 0.37 for sonographic morphology. Between sonographic stability and morphology, although 71% of hips with major instability showed normal or immature morphology according to static ultrasound examination, the coefficient was as high as 0.64. CONCLUSIONS: Discrepancies between clinical and ultrasound examinations were present even if almost all of the exams were performed by a single experienced pediatric orthopedic surgeon. In relation to screening for DDH, it is recommended that both sonographic morphology and stability be checked in addition to clinical examination.

Disparity between Clinical and Ultrasound Examinations in Neonatal Hip Screening

BACKGROUND: For early detection of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), neonatal hip screening using clinical examination and/or ultrasound has been recommended. Although there have been many studies on the reliability of both screening techniques, there is still controversy in the screening strategies; clinical vs. selective or universal ultrasound screening. To determine the screening strategy, we assessed the agreement among the methods; clinical examination by an experienced pediatric orthopedic surgeon, sonographic morphology, and sonographic stability. METHODS: From January 2004 to June 2009, a single experienced pediatric orthopedic surgeon performed clinical hip screenings for 2,686 infants in the neonatal unit and 43 infants who were referred due to impressions of hip dysplasia before 3 months of age. Among them, 156 clinically unstable or high-risk babies selectively received bilateral hip ultrasound examinations performed by the same surgeon using the modified Graf method. The results were analyzed statistically to detect any correlations between the clinical and sonographic findings. RESULTS: Although a single experienced orthopedic surgeon conducted all examinations, we detected only a limited relationship between the results of clinical and ultrasound examinations. Ninety-three percent of the clinically subluxatable hips were normal or immature based on static ultrasound examination, and 74% of dislocating hips and 67% of limited abduction hips presented with the morphology below Graf IIa. A total of 80% of clinically subluxatable, 42% of dislocating and 67% of limited abduction hips appeared stable or exhibited minor instability on dynamic ultrasound examination. About 7% of clinically normal hips were abnormal upon ultrasound examination; 5% showed major instability and 3% showed dysplasia above Graf IIc. Clinical stability had small coefficients between ultrasound examinations; 0.39 for sonographic stability and 0.37 for sonographic morphology. Between sonographic stability and morphology, although 71% of hips with major instability showed normal or immature morphology according to static ultrasound examination, the coefficient was as high as 0.64. CONCLUSIONS: Discrepancies between clinical and ultrasound examinations were present even if almost all of the exams were performed by a single experienced pediatric orthopedic surgeon. In relation to screening for DDH, it is recommended that both sonographic morphology and stability be checked in addition to clinical examination.

Dynamic Three-Dimensional Analysis of Lachman Test for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Insufficiency: Analysis of Anteroposterior Motion of the Medial and Lateral Femoral Epicondyles

PURPOSE: To evaluate dynamic three-dimensional (3D) kinematic properties of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)-insufficient knees and healthy contralateral knees in awake patients during the Lachman test using biplane fluoroscopy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten patients with unilateral ACL-insufficient knees and healthy contralateral knees were enrolled in this study. Each patient underwent the Lachman test three times in the awake state. The knee joint motions were captured using biplane fluoroscopy. After manual registration of 3D surface data from 3D-computed tomography to biplane images, dynamic 3D kinematic data were analyzed. RESULTS: The average anteroposterior (AP) translation of the medial femoral epicondyle of the ACL-insufficient knees (11.5+/-4.2 mm) was significantly greater than that of the contralateral knees (7.7+/-3.5 mm) (p<0.05). However, there was no statistically significant side-to-side difference in the average AP translation of the lateral femoral epicondyle. During the Lachman test, the distal femur was more externally rotated than the proximal tibia, which showed significant difference between both sides. CONCLUSIONS: During the Lachman test, the medial femoral epicondyle of the ACL-insufficient knee exhibited greater AP motion than that of the contralateral knee, whereas there was no significant side-to-side difference with regard to the AP motion of the lateral femoral epicondyle.

Significance of Lipid Profiles and Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-gamma2 Expression in Osteonecrosis of Femoral Head

PURPOSE: To analyze the possible involvement of a change in the lipid metabolism and PPARgamma2 level in the occurrence of ON of the femoral head. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The lipid profiles (Cholesterol, Triglyceride, LDL, HDL and Free fatty acid) of 130 patients with ON of the femoral head and 30 control persons were evaluated. The level of PPARgamma2 mRNA expression was examined by performing, RT-PCR using the bone marrow stromal cells obtained from 17 patients during THA. RESULTS: Among the 130 patients, the free fatty acid level in the alcohol (676.9+/-264.7 mg/dl,) and steroid (666.0+/-163.4 mg/dl) induced ON groups was higher than the control (453.5+/-169.3 mg/dl) and idiopathic (468.5+/-194.1 mg/dl) groups. The triglyceride level in the alcohol (223.7+/-70.9 mg/dl) and steroid (183.6+/-58.4 mg/dl) induced groups was higher than the control (93.1+/-79.0 mg/dl) and idiopathic groups (130.9+/-63.1 mg/dl). The level of PPARgamma2 mRNA expression in the ON patients was significantly higher than the other groups (P <0.05). CONCLUSION: These results are significant and suggest hyperlipidemia as a risk factor for ON of the femoral head. Higher expression of PPARgamma2 mRNA was found in ON. However, functional studies of PPARgamma2 mRNA in vivo would be needed to reveal the pathogenesis of ON of the femoral head.