Transportation-Related Guidelines for Hip Spica Application and Subsequent Discharge Planning

Hip spica casts are a common method to treat trauma or hip dysplasia for children aged ~6 months to 4 or 5 years. The cast is typically applied with the lower extremities positioned to achieve satisfactory fracture reduction and/or joint stability while avoiding a reduction in blood flow to the hip joint. A number of studies have observed that some spica cast positions can present a challenge to safely transport the child home. This is due to the posterior cast geometry which is typically not congruent with the child’s car seat. In the current study, a series of transportation options were evaluated to identify seats that accommodate a hip spica cast.