Congenital dislocation of the knee in Ibadan, Nigeria

Between January 1996 and December 2001, 41 congenital dislocations of the knee joints (30 patients) were reduced with closed methods by immediate reduction without anaesthesia and serial casting in plaster of Paris immobilization for a period of six to eight weeks. The patients' age ranged from the age of one week to four weeks with a male to female ratio of 1.5:1. The right knee was involved in 46.65% the left in 16.6% and bilateral involvement in 36.65% of patients. Routine check of the hip did not reveal any patient with hip instability. All the patients followed up after 2 years showed excellent results. We conclude that congenital knee dislocation when discovered early and without any other congenital malformation can be managed conservatively with excellent results.