How common is hip dysplasia in infants who are referred for the evaluation of clicky hips?

Most infants with a hip click but normal results on the Ortolani test and Barlow maneuver do not have hip dysplasia. (LOE = 3b)

Nie K, Rymaruk S, Paton RW. Clicky hip alone is not a true risk factor for developmental dysplasia of the hip. Bone Joint J 2017;99-B(11):1533-1536.  [PMID:29092995]

Cross-sectional

Unknown/not stated

Outpatient (specialty)

These authors from the United Kingdom report the outcomes of 362 infants referred over a 20-year period for the evaluation of "clicky" hips (I love this expression—it could have come from an episode of Doctor Who). Each infant underwent clinical and sonographic assessments. The authors don't describe any paired independent assessments or other measures that would give me great trust in their methodology. The infants were 14 weeks of age on average and two thirds were female. Nearly all (97%) of the infants had normal hips. A few children had mild abnormalities that resolved spontaneously on follow up. Only 2 children had moderate dysplasia or an irreducible dislocation. Finally, the few children with true dysplasia had unilateral limited abduction.