The IHDI teamed up with the Mexican Society of Pediatric Orthopedics, the American British Cowdray Medical Center and Shriners Hospital for Children in Mexico City to put on the 3rd International Meeting on Hip Dysplasia, this year emphasizing the importance of early diagnosis in obtaining optimum outcomes for patients with hip dysplasia.
The two day meeting included a practical workshop with patients at the Shriners Hospital in Mexico City, where physicians were able to observe the technique of hip ultrasound as used in the clinical decision making process with IHDI Medical Advisory Board Members, Nick Clarke, Simon Kelley and Pablo Castañeda. In all 18 doctors from 8 different states in Mexico and 2 from Costa Rica attended the practical course. The next day the course was moved to the American British Cowdray Medical Center where the auditorium with a capacity for 200 people was packed for the one day course. Lectures were imparted by a panel of world renowned experts on hip dysplasia covering the subject from the pathogenesis to the diagnosis and treatment. A very special part of the meeting concerned the non-operative management of DDH, explaining the indications of various devices and methods as well as their potential risks and pitfalls.
Nick Clarke commented that the level of sophistication on a scientific level was “second to none”, and was able to discuss the finer points of ultrasonography of the hip with Dr. Raul Takenaga a recognized radiologist from Mexico City.
As well as a full schedule of lectures 2 workshops with patients were organized allowing the participants to apply the knowledge they had just acquired directly, 5 babies were brought for ultrasound and as well as using it for diagnostic purposes a dynamic Pavlik Orthosis was applied to one and participants were able to evaluate the treatment with the ultrasound as well as learn valuable tips from the experts.
A pediatric orthopedic surgeon from Yucatán, Jelitze Sosa-Colomé explained the mechanical causes for hip dysplasia and explained the importance of safe swaddling to the audience which included some primary care physicians and nurse practitioners.
This kind of collaboration allows the advancement of knowledge and will ultimately help patients from all over the world who are affected by this common condition.
