To evaluate the outcome and effectiveness of an open reduction in DDH for the patients 8 years and older.

Fourteen patients older than 8 years and diagnosed with DDH were treated by an open reduction, femoral shortening, and varus derotational osteotomy, combined with or without a Chiari osteotomy from August, 1981 to November, 2002 However, one patient was treated without femoral shortening. The mean age of the patients besides the 2 patients of failure at the time of surgery was 13.1 years (range 8-23), the mean follow up duration was 9.1 years (range 1-22 years). There were 6 cases of left side involvement of DDH, and 5 cases of right side involvement, while the remaining were both sides. One case was male and the others were female, and all hips were dislocated completely.

One hip out of 14 patients was not unreduced intraoperatively. One hip showed a redislocation during the follow up period. Eleven patients gained almost the full range of motion of the affected hip except for one patient. Five out of the 12 patients showed a normal gait without limping and pain, and 3 showed a slight limping gait but was much improved compared with the preoperative state. Four patients showed a limping gait due to a leg length discrepancy, and the limping gait of one patient was corrected by femoral lengthening. The average Harris hip score among the patients except for 2 cases of failure was 94.6. Nine patients were excellent and 3 patients were good.

A neglected DDH should be treated positively Because a functionally good hip joint can be obtained after an open reduction of a developmentally dislocated hip, even after the age of 8.