A simple modification of the Pavlik harness for unstable hips.

The Pavlik harness has been used in the treatment of developmental dysplasia of the hip for almost 60 years. During this time there has been little in the way of modification of the original design. In clinical practice it has an established role, but it is recognized to be less effective in more unstable hips, which are often associated with marked acetabular dysplasia. The authors present a simple modification that proved successful in three hips that were not stabilized in a Pavlik harness applied in the usual fashion.