2007 Volume 16 Issue 4 Pages 207-214
Congenital dislocation of the hip is a problematic condition to treat, and if not treated, or treated incorrectly, mobility for the affected infant can be severely compromised. This study involved 66 patients with congenital dislocation of the hip (infants within 6 months of birth) treated at our center (mean age upon first examination: 3 months), including 30 patients who underwent low reactive-level laser therapy (LLLT) and 36 who did not. The 30 patients who received LLLT did so in combination treatment with a Pavlik harness or traction therapy for a mean period of 3 months (3 sessions of LLLT irradiation per week). The time course of changes in the acetabular angle, the central edge (CE) angle and the ossific nucleus of the femoral head were compared between patients in the group that received LLLT and those that did not. LLLT combined with conventional treatment for congenital dislocation of the hip resulted in less tension in the soft tissue around the hip joint, more natural reduction of dislocations with the Pavlik harness or traction, and a reduction in the size of interpositions within the hip joint as well as improved centripetalism, thus contributing to prevention of the onset of femoral head necrosis. In addition, LLLT favorably affected the formation of the hip acetabulum as well as growth of the femoral head. This is probably because the improved centripetalism combined with LLLT bioactivation of osteoblasts facilitated acetabular repair, leading to the prevention of coxa magna. When administered to patients with congenital dislocation of the hip, LLLT was pain-free, stress-free and easy to apply. No adverse reactions were recorded in any of the 30 patients in the present study. If LLLT is applied in combination with other means of therapy in the early stages of treatment of congenital dislocation of the hip, it is likely to enable patients to avoid additional corrective surgery (open reduction of dislocations, pelvic osteotomy, femoral neck osteotomy, and so on) as well as prevent the onset of pursuant diseases and conditions, such as femoral head necrosis. LLLT is thus a promising new means of treatment for congenital dislocation of the hip.
