[Examination, prevention and treatment of congenital dislocation of the hip in the newborn infant--experience over an eighteen-year period].

On the basis of the authors' experience during the past 18 years, clinical data on CDH in the newborn were studied and summerized as follows. The use of diaper with hip-flexed position decreased not only the incidence of click, but also the frequency of CDH in infancy, indicating their effectiveness for the prevention of CDH. It is important to know whether the hips are dislocated or dislocatable at the original examination, when one decides on indication and initiation of treatment. The affected hips should be treated when "dislocated state" is found and the instability persists for 1 or 2 weeks or when "dislocatable state" is found and the instability persists for 2 or 3 weeks. Treatment with harness is useful for the newborn with CDH. The use will not cause any complication. Development of infants with CDH following after newborns with CDH is influenced by postnatal environmental factors as well as late diagnosis.