This cast maintains the legs in a position bent up and out to the side. The cast remains on for several months. It will need changing every two to three months as the child grows. Cast changes are usually done under a general anaesthetic in daycare surgery. Very occasionally, the hips cannot be properly repositioned in the hip socket during a closed reduction.
Surgery is then necessary.
This is known as an open reduction. Ligaments are cut to enable the head of the femur to be positioned within the joint. The operation usually lasts about one hour. A blood transfusion is not required. The baby wakes up in the recovery room in a hip spica cast.