Ortolani's Sign is the main symptom of which disease?

Appeared in: Uttarakhand CHO - 2021

Explanation

Ortolani's sign is a specific physical examination maneuver used to screen for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) in newborns.
A positive sign is a palpable or audible 'clunk' felt as the dislocated femoral head is reduced back into the acetabulum during hip abduction.
This maneuver is most reliable in the first few months of life before muscle contractures develop, making early screening essential.
It is performed by flexing the infant's hips and knees to 90 degrees and then gently abducting the hips.

Option A: Clubfoot (talipes equinovarus) is a congenital deformity of the foot and ankle; its diagnosis involves assessing the foot's position, not the hip joint.
Option C: Scoliosis is a lateral curvature of the spine, diagnosed using tests like the Adam's forward bend test to check for rib cage asymmetry, not a hip maneuver.
Option D: Muscular dystrophy is a group of genetic disorders causing progressive muscle weakness. A characteristic finding is Gowers' sign, not Ortolani's sign.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Identification of the clinical significance of Ortolani's sign in pediatric assessment helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Early detection of DDH through routine newborn screening (including the Ortolani test) is critical for successful non-surgical treatment with devices like the Pavlik harness.
Failure to diagnose DDH early can lead to long-term complications, including a limp, chronic pain, and premature osteoarthritis, often requiring complex surgery later in life.
Nurses play a key role in performing newborn assessments and educating parents on the importance of follow-up if any hip instability is suspected.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key term in the question: 'Ortolani's Sign'.
This is a factual recall question. Access your knowledge of pediatric physical assessments and associated congenital orthopedic conditions.
Systematically evaluate each option by linking the sign to the affected body part.
Recall that Ortolani's sign is a specific test for the hip joint in infants.
Consider the pathologies: Clubfoot (foot), Scoliosis (spine), Muscular Dystrophy (muscles), and Hip Dysplasia (hip).
Match the hip-specific test (Ortolani's) with the hip-specific condition (Hip Dysplasia) to arrive at the correct answer.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Identification of the clinical significance of Ortolani's sign in pediatric assessment.
Stem keywords: Ortolani's Sign, main symptom
Lead-in keywords: which disease

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E6 Text Book Of Pediatric Nursing 3rd Panchali Pal — Part 3 (pp 477-702 of 713) p. 2

E6 Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics(2024) — Volume 2 pp. 2043-2045, 2044-2046

Practise the full Uttarakhand CHO - 2021

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.