What it means
With the baby on the back and the hips and knees bent, the examiner gently moves the thighs outward (abduction) while lifting the top of the thigh. In a positive test, the head of the thigh bone slides back into the hip socket with a palpable "clunk." It screens for developmental dysplasia of the hip and works best in the first few months of life. It is done together with the Barlow maneuverBAR-loe muh-NOO-verA newborn hip exam in which the examiner brings the bent hip inward and presses gently back to feel whether it slips out of its socket.Full entry . It is named after Marino Ortolani, an Italian pediatrician.
For the nurse
Report a clunk or uneven leg folds or leg lengths. Teach parents to swaddle loosely at the hips so the legs can bend up and out.
Remember it
Ortolani = Out-to-in: the hip moves back into the socket.
At a glance
| Also written | Ortolani sign, Ortolani test, Ortolani's maneuver |
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Easy to confuse with
Barlow maneuver
A newborn hip exam in which the examiner brings the bent hip inward and presses gently back to feel whether it slips out of its socket.
Related terms
Barlow maneuver
A newborn hip exam in which the examiner brings the bent hip inward and presses gently back to feel whether it slips out of its socket.
Allis sign
With an infant lying on the back, hips and knees bent and feet flat, one knee sits lower than the other.