An attempt to throw light on congenital hip disease terminology and anticipation of clinical outcomes when treated with total hip arthroplasty.

The terminology of the wide spectrum of hip deformities seen during the neonatal, infantile and adult life period remains controversial, mainly due to the indiscriminate use of the terms dysplasia, subluxation, congenital hip disease, developmental hip disease, congenital dislocation, etc. This has a serious implication on the anticipation of clinical outcomes, complications and comparison of different reconstructive techniques when these patients are treated with total hip arthroplasty in adulthood. Journals, specialising in this field, should publish homogeneous series (type of the disease, reconstruction technique, implants) in order to clarify arguments and anticipate clinical outcomes.