Periacetabular Osteotomy

This surgical procedure can relieve the pain of hip dysplasia.

If you have acetabular dysplasia, also known as hip dysplasia (a deformed or misaligned hip), you may be a good candidate for a procedure called periacetabular osteotomy. Our joint specialists use this procedure to reconstruct the hip and correct hip dysplasia.

What is a periacetabular osteotomy?

A periacetabular osteotomy is a surgical procedure that reorients the hip joint’s socket portion, known as the acetabulum. This stabilizes the ball portion of the hip joint, known as the femoral head, within the socket.

A periacetabular osteotomy can have many benefits for hip dysplasia patients, such as:

• Improved function
• Reduced pain
• Slowed or stopped joint deterioration

Is periacetabular osteotomy right for me?

One of the ways our doctors determine if a patient is a good candidate for periacetabular osteotomy is by examining the damage to the hip joint’s cartilage structures. Good candidates for this surgery have only limited damage to these structures.

If you have more severe cartilage damage, your doctor may recommend hip replacement surgery instead.

What can I expect during a periacetabular osteotomy?

During this procedure, the surgeon makes an incision in the front of the hip joint. After separating the muscles in front of the hip, the surgeon cuts the pelvic bone in four places around the hip socket. This lets the surgeon place the socket in the correct position to accept the femoral head.

The surgeon may have to remove some bone from the front of the femoral head to improve the hip’s mobility. If the femoral head is significantly out of alignment, or if it’s not properly rounded, the surgeon may need to reshape the femoral head during the surgery with a procedure called an intertrochanteric osteotomy.

The doctor also will order diagnostic imaging tests like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) arthrograms to measure your hip and evaluate any damage to the hip cartilage. An MRI arthrogram is done by first injecting contrast dye into the joint, which highlights soft tissue areas, such as ligaments and cartilage, to make them clearer to see on the MRI.