The African neonatal hip and its immunity from congenital dislocation.

The hips of twenty full-term African neonates have been examined in detail to determine any anatomical factors which might explain the difference in the incidence of congenital dislocation of the hip in the African and in the Caucasian. Measurements included the degree of anteversion of the femoral neck and the acetabulum and the diameter and depth of the acetabulum. The acetabulum tended to be deeper and to vary within a much narrower range than that reported for Caucasians, lending indirect support to the theoretical role of acetabular dysplasia in the aetiology of congenital dislocation of the hip. Measurements of the anteversion of the acetabulum and femoral neck were similar to those given for Caucasians.