The Knowledge Of Pediatricians About Developmental Hip Dysplasia In A Training Hospital

Introduction: Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is the most common hip pathology which can be prevented with early diagnosis and treatment. Prevention, early diagnosis and treatment can be achieved if health professionals are endowed with adequate knowledge. Here, we aimed to evaluate the knowledge level of pediatric trainees and specialists in an education and training hospital and to review the up-to-date information about DDH.Materials and Methods: A multiple choice questionnaire about etiopathogenesis, risk factors, diagnosis and treatment of DDH was answered by the pediatric trainees and specialists in Zeynep Kamil Maternity and Children Education and Training Hospital, Istanbul. NCSS 2007 (R), USA Software Program is used for statistical analysis.Results: Thirty-nine pediatric residents and twenty-one pediatric specialists were enrolled to the study. Person with DDH in the family, swaddling, breech presentation, female gender, oligohydroamnios were risk factors known with rate = 70%. Metatarsus adductus, Larsen syndrome, congenital knee dislocation were the least known risk factors (= 10%). The recognition rates of residents and specialist about torticollis, multiple gestation, first born baby and metatarsus adductus as risk factors were statistically different (p<0.05). For the diagnosis of DDH, specialist tended to use conventional methods like physical examination and direct radiographs while residents chose computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imagining. Pediatric residents thought cigarette smoking (48.7%) and factors other than mechanic pressure of femoral head for the acetabular development (30.7%) as most responsible factors (p<0.05). There was no relationship between duration of residency, duration of being specialists, bearing children and knowledge about DDH.Conclusions: The actual knowledge of pediatricians about DDH should be improved and updated for the success of prevention, diagnosis and treatment of DDH.