The Pavlik Harness in the Treatment of Congenital Dislocating Hip: Report on a Multicenter Study of the European Paediatric Orthopaedic Society

The results of functional treatment using the Pavlik harness in congenital dislocation and congenital dysplasia of the hip in children aged less than 11 months were examined by an EPOS study group. This study was conducted on 3,611 hips in 2,636 patients for a period of 1-9 years after treatment. The reduction rate was 92% in grade Tonnis 2 and 3; the healing rate was 80%. In children with dysplastic hips, the healing rate was 95.35%. Avascular necrosis of the femoral head was observed in 2.38%. The Pavlik harness is designed for outpatient treatment if the parents are complian

The Pavlik Harness in the Treatment of Congenital Dislocating Hip: Report on a Multicenter Study of the European Paediatric Orthopaedic Society

The results of functional treatment using the Pavlik harness in congenital dislocation and congenital dysplasia of the hip in children aged less than 11 months were examined by an EPOS study group. This study was conducted on 3,611 hips in 2,636 patients for a period of 1-9 years after treatment. The reduction rate was 92% in grade Tonnis 2 and 3; the healing rate was 80%. In children with dysplastic hips, the healing rate was 95.35%. Avascular necrosis of the femoral head was observed in 2.38%. The Pavlik harness is designed for outpatient treatment if the parents are complian

Prenatal Diagnosis of Atypical Phenylketonuria

Atypical phenylketonuria (PKU) is a group of very rare and severe diseases caused by tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) deficiency (Niederwieser and Curtius, 1987). So far three inborn errors of metabolism are known to cause BH4 deficiency, defects in: GTP cyclohydrolase I (GTPCH); 6-pyruvoyl tetrahydropterin synthase (PPH4S); and dihydropteridine reductase (DHPR) (Blau, 1988). Recently a new form of atypical PKU with unusual 7-iso-biopterin excretion in the urine of patients was described (Curtius et al., 1988). Prenatal diagnosis of BH4 deficiency can be achieved mainly by measurement of pterin metabolites in amniotic fluid and of enzyme activities in cultured fluid cells and fetal blood (Blau et al., 1987). We performed the prenatal diagnosis of DHPR deficiency in two cases (one diagnosed as homozygote and one as heterozygote), and of PPH4S deficiency in four cases (one diagnosed as homozygote, one as heterozygote, and two as normal). Our results suggest that measurement of neopterin and biopterin by HPLC in amniotic fluid is adequate. But it is recommended that diagnosis should be confirmed by enzyme measurements