Treating Hip Dysplasia Birth Injuries
The key to treating hip dysplasia is by timely diagnosing it. In someone who's diagnosed before they begin walking, or shortly after, it's usually a pretty simple treatment. The child is put in a harness or cast for several months and then the hip joint will continue to form in most cases.
However, if the diagnosis comes several months after walking begins, or even years which is not uncommon, then there'ss a big problem and the only form of treatment at that point becomes surgery. There are many forms of surgery that can occur, but most of the time it is a reducing of the length of the bone in the leg in order to allow it to be pushed back into the cup. That has catastrophic ramifications, typically because there are a high percentage of times that that surgery does not work and an additional surgery or two has to be performed.
There are other times where the hip joint will re-form but the blood supply in the hip joint will be cut off. What happens there is that the hip becomes necrotic and oftentimes dies and a hip replacement is needed. However, due to growth patterns, some children have to wait years for a replacement.
Living With A Hip Dysplasia Birth Injury Translates Into A Very Atypical Life
When a child reaches their 20s after having any of these surgeries, they're at a very large risk of needing a hip replacement. Since those only last 10 to 20 years, that means they're usually facing three hip replacements in their life.
Children can only receive hip replacements after they've gone through puberty. So, for a girl, that will be in her early teens and for a boy in his later teens. What that means is that they've got to live with the hip dysplasia birth injury until a hip replacement can be done. So, all the activities that a child usually engages in, he or she cannot engage in any more. No basketball, no football, no soccer, no tennis none of that. Not only is that very depressing for the child, but it can lead to that child's dealings with his or her friends who are all playing these games and maybe mocking her for not being able to participate.
Hip Dysplasia Birth Injury Lawsuits
The key in treating a hip dysplasia birth injury is clearly in the diagnosis. If you can diagnose it early enough, before or shortly after walking, then a simple harness will typically solve the problem and the future ramifications of that are minimal. If you diagnose it many months after walking, then in order to solve that problem you're going to be facing invasive surgeries which carry all kinds of risks and you're also likely looking at a hip replacement in your 20s.
Doctors who fail to correctly diagnose hip dysplasia birth injuries can be liable for child medical malpractice. If your child has been injured, contact a hip dysplasia birth injury lawyer to discuss your situation and determine whether or not filing a hip dysplasia birth injury lawsuit is an option for you.