What is the purpose of the Ortolani maneuver?

The Ortolani maneuver is specifically designed to identify and reduce congenital hip dislocation in infants. It involves manipulating the hip joint by abducting and elevating the flexed femur. This action helps to relocate the femoral head back into the acetabulum when a hip is dislocated or is at risk of dislocation. The maneuver is critical in the early detection of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), allowing for timely intervention and treatment.

In contrast, assessing limb length discrepancies is a different examination that focuses on the relative lengths of the legs, which does not involve hip manipulation. The dislocation of a dislocatable hip is not aligned with the purpose of the Ortolani maneuver, as it aims to reduce and stabilize a dislocated hip rather than induce dislocation. Additionally, while breech infants are at a higher risk for hip dysplasia, the Ortolani maneuver is not exclusive to this population; it is performed on all infants during routine physical examinations to screen for hip issues, regardless of delivery method.