[Cooperation between the pediatrician and orthopedist in the diagnosis of congenital hip dislocation].

The author summarizes the principles of clinical diagnosis, referring to experience assembled in an investigation comprising more than 35,000 neonates during past years. The submitted pattern could be a practical instruction for examination of the hip joints by paediatricians--neonatologists. The author emphasizes the fact that the diagnosis of complete dislocation unless irreponible is very easy, and being a clinically very obvious defect, it should not be missed. In other countries the trend predominates to ensure examination of the hip joints of neonates by paediatricians-neonatologists for whom this examination is a matter of routine. The author outline possibilities of ultrasonographic examination, static as well as dynamic. In large towns it proved useful to establish an ultrasonographic examination room where some 4000 infants aged 2-3 weeks are examined. The hitherto used classification of ultrasonic examination is not quite reliable in view of "over-diagnosis" and thus to unnecessary therapy which can lead--as any abduction therapy--to complications such as avascular necrosis. Paediatricians-neonatologists should master the clinical problem and be aware of the responsibility for early clinical diagnosis to enable orthopaedists to specify indication for early treatment based on ultrasonographic examination.