East baltimore lift: best technique for closed reduction of posterior hip dislocation

Posterior hip dislocation is the most common type of hip dislocation and occurs in about 90% of all hip dislocations. Several methods are there for the reduction of hip dislocations. These are Bigelow, Stimson and Allis manoeuvres. These methods allow reduction without disturbing the anatomy or the neurovascular status of limb. The East Baltimore lift is another method of reducing a posterior hip dislocation. For this method (after considering sedation or analgesia) the patient is placed supine. The affected leg is flexed at right angles at both the hip and the knee. The doctor and assistant stand on opposite sides of the patient (pelvis level) and each places an arm under the patient's calf, cradling the leg and resting their hand on the shoulder of the person opposite. Traction is applied by anterior lift whilst the leg is stabilised by the doctor maintaining knee's right angle. A third person is required to stabilise the pelvis. Bigelow has high complication rate and that manoeuvre was not used in this study.