Pavlik’s method: a retrospective study

This retrospective study of the early work of Arnold Pavlik in the treatment of developmental dysplasia of the hip proves the success of his method in eradicating avascular necrosis (AVN) resulting from other modes of treatment. Authors analyzed some 100 charts of children treated for CDH, as it was known at that time, between 1969 and 1981, and assessed the influence of gender, clinical stability, severity of X-ray pathology and age at which treatment was started, according to duration, outcome of treatment and rate of AVN. Of the 100 children with 134 treated pathological hips, 62 children with 86 pathological hips were treated exclusively by Pavlik’s method. Length of treatment for the 86 hips successfully treated by Pavlik’s method only was an average of 6 months. No AVN was found for any hip treated by Pavlik’s method only, including dislocated hips. The 65% of failure rate was for dislocated hips only. Late onset and prolonged duration of treatment using Pavlik’s method contributed to relative high failure rate followed by AVN. This leads to the conclusion that Pavlik’s method is safe and accurate for all dysplastic and subluxated hips, along with the vast majority of dislocated hips.