Dr Leo Donnan

23/08/2026

Today's fact - Did you know?

- Hip dysplasia affects 1 in 100 babies worldwide

- It contributes to 25% of hip replacements under age 50

- Untreated, it can lead to long-term disability, pain or surgery.

06/07/2026

We have some exciting news to share....We are moving! We hope to see you all at our new location in Richmond.

06/07/2026

Meet Meredith!

Meredith is our paediatric physiotherapist who works alongside Leo in our Hip Dysplasia Clinic.

24/06/2026

Meet the team!

Say Hi to Cristina who will greet you upon arriving at your appointment.

11/06/2026

When bracing fails for treatment of DDH, what surgery is needed?

Closed reduction - the child’s hip is examined by the surgeon under a general anaesthetic. A dye, which which is visible on X-ray ,is injected into the hip joint. The hip is then gently manipulated to see if it can be positioned safely with in the cup. If a satisfactory position is achieved a plaster jacket known as a hip spica is applied to keep the hip stable.

After the reduction an MRI is performed to ensure the hip is in the best possible position for growth and development.

It is usual to change the hip spica after six weeks so as to check the hips development and to accommodate for growth over this period. This spica is removed six weeks later and the plaster changed for a removable brace that would be worn for a number of months afterwards.

Open reduction - sometimes an open reduction is required. This surgery involves a small incision in the groin. Tight structures around the hip are released, allowing for the hip joint to be positioned in the ideal position. This is followed by the application of a hip spica and subsequently a hip brace.

If the child is older (greater than 18 months of age) when a dislocated hip is diagnosed, more extensive hip surgery will normally be required.

For more information: https://leodonnan.com.au/surgery-for-the-dislocated-hip/

27/05/2026

Treatment of DDH

DDH is usually treated with a brace. The role of the brace is to position the hip joint in the optimal position to promote normal growth and development of the affected hip/s.

The brace will will need to be worn all day and night but can be removed for bathing. Your baby will require close monitoring. This is to ensure the brace treatment is working effectively and the hip developing.

An ultrasound is the best type of investigation to monitor your baby’s hip initially. This is because a baby’s hip is predominantly cartilage. As your child grows and develops an Xray will be used to monitor changes to your child’s hip, this is usually from about 6 months of age.

Brace treatment usually ceases when your child has a normal hip US/Xray and a normal clinical examination. This may take approximately two to three months, but will vary depending on how your child’s hip/s responds to brace treatment. Your child will require ongoing monitoring of their hips to ensure they continue to develop normally into the future. This will usually occur when your child is 1, 2, 4 and 10 years old and will involve an Xray and clinical examination of your child’s hips.

Sometimes, despite good brace treatment, the hip does not develop completely and surgical treatment is required to improve the shape of the cup to ensure that the hip is normal at the end of growth. It is very important that the hip development is followed throughout growing to identify any problems early and treat residual dysplasia at the right time.

Braces, like any device, take some getting used. You will find a series of videos from our orthotic partners at Orthokids, a really useful resource for parents and families, on our website.
https://leodonnan.com.au/looking-after-your-hip-brace/

19/05/2026

What is DDH?

Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is the most common hip condition affecting infants and children. DDH represents a spectrum of issues affecting the hip joint – a “ball-and-socket” joint. When the femoral head (the “ball) is seated properly in the acetabulum (the “socket”), the hip is stable and can develop normally. However, when the femoral head is not well-seated, the hip can become unstable or dislocate. This instability or dislocation of the femoral head prevents the hip joint from developing normally during infancy and early childhood. If left undetected or untreated, it can lead to debilitating complications later in life. Careful clinical examination, quality ultrasound and paediatric radiology are essential in determining the health of the infants hip. To find out more - https://leodonnan.com.au/

14/05/2026

Meet the Surgeon

Associate Professor Leo Donnan is a Melbourne based Orthopaedic Surgeon who specialises in complex paediatric and adult orthopaedic conditions including hip dysplasia, paediatric oncology, limb reconstruction & lengthening, joint replacement and paediatric injuries & fractures.

Visit our Website: https://leodonnan.com.au/

11/05/2026

Abnormal baby hip ultrasound?

When a baby’s hip ultrasound is reported as “abnormal,” it is natural for parents to worry. This review brings some reassuring news.

The authors examined more than 13,500 baby hips across many studies in which doctors observed ultrasound changes suggestive of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) rather than treating them immediately. They found that most mildly or moderately abnormal hips that remained properly seated in the socket became completely normal within the first six months of life without any braces or casts. In many groups, 8 or 9 out of 10 such hips improved on their own. Even among more clearly abnormal hips, a surprising number settled with time, although these were more likely to need treatment.

Overall, the study suggests that for a stable hip, careful monitoring with follow-up visits is often safe, and that many babies with “concerning” ultrasound reports will develop normal hips.

*(R Sakkers and V Pollet. 2018. The natural history of abnormal ultrasound findings in hips of infants under six months of age. J Child Orthop 12, 4 (August 2018), 302–307).

12/10/2021

An acute dislocation of the patellar can be a very traumatic event for a child or adolescent - so here is a guide as what to do
An acute patellar dislocation usually occurs during activity when the flexed knee rotates inward or due to a direct blow to the knee. The patellar dislocates outward (laterally) and the knee collapses.

An acute dislocation of the patellar can be a very traumatic event for a child or adolescent - so here is a guide as what to do An acute patellar dislocatio