Call today!
Call today!
Acetabular dysplasia, or hip dysplasia, is a disorder that occurs when the acetabulum (hip socket) is shallow and doesn’t provide sufficient coverage of the femoral head (ball), causing instability of the hip joint. Over time, this instability causes damage to the labrum and cartilage lining of the joint, which can result in pain and development of early hip osteoarthritis.
Acetabular dysplasia can be a result of developmental dislocation of the hip (DDH) that was treated in infancy or childhood. Therefore, children treated for hip dysplasia should be closely followed by a physician until their bones are fully grown. Acetabular dysplasia can exist as a mild issue that can take years to decades for symptoms to develop. Patients who have been diagnosed with acetabular dysplasia often have a family history of early hip osteoarthritis or hip dysplasia.
The red arrow above shows where acetabular dysplasia is occurring on the right hip. The acetabulum is not providing sufficient coverage of the femoral head, causing instability of the hip joint.
The symptoms of acetabular dysplasia may include:
Acetabular dysplasia is carefully diagnosed through several different tests:
The preferred treatment for adolescents and young adults with acetabular dysplasia is a periacetabular osteotomy (PAO), which is a surgical procedure that repositions the acetabulum into a more stable position with the acetabulum covering the femoral head properly. The surgery improves hip function, reduces pain, and stops the damage occurring inside of the hip joint.
Call (650) 497-8263 for an appointment or more information on acetabular dysplasia.