[Sonography of the infant hip. Sources of error, progress and current clinical relevance].

Effective prevention of late dysplastic dislocation of the hip (DDH) has become a reality since reliable diagnosis has been possible at an early stage by means of the original sonographic method according to Graf. A correct sonographic diagnosis must be instantly followed by adequate, biomechanically rational, and consistent therapeutic management and long-term follow-up. The results of a strictly comparative follow-up study emphasize the enormous progress in the quality of therapeutic results gained when routine sonographic newborn hip "screening" is performed directly in the maternity wards: successful anatomical healing with conservative treatment is regularly obtained without femoral head necrosis, without surgery and without late DDH, and costs less when sonographic assessment is done within the first days of life. For this reason, the Austrian government has included sonographic neonatal hip screening in its general health prevention program-and also reimbursed the cost of this preventive procedure-since 1992.