Open Hip Preservation Surgery

The Hip Preservation Center> at Texas Orthopedic Hospital includes a team of orthopedic specialists focused on hip preservation surgery. Hip replacement surgeries have long been the choice of treatment, where the damaged parts of the joint are removed and replaced with a prosthesis. However, in young active patients, the prostheses are highly prone to wear-and-tear, and the need for repeat surgery. Hip preservation is a surgery that overcomes the limitations of joint replacement.

For cases in which conservative measures have failed to treat the problem, our fellowship-trained hip preservation surgeons can address hip pain with the latest techniques of open hip preservation.

PAO hip surgery

Periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) is a surgical procedure to treat hip dysplasia. Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is a problem occurring in young children with how the ball-shaped top of the thigh bone and the cup-shaped area of the pelvis meet.

The exact problem can vary between children but may include:

• Ball of the thigh is loose inside the cup of the pelvis—makes the hip unstable
• Ball moves easily out of the cup—causing a dislocation of the hip
• Ball and cup do not meet at all
• The cup is improperly shaped

PAO involves cutting the acetabulum from the pelvic bone and repositioning it with screws to allow for a better fit of the femoral head. The procedure reduces pain, restores function and prevents further deterioration of the hip joint, thereby increasing the life of the hip joint and postponing total hip replacement.

Surgical hip dislocation

Open surgical dislocation is a surgical technique that involves the dislocation of the hip joint during surgery to facilitate easy access to the inside tissues of the hip joint. It helps your surgeon to clearly view and treat abnormalities present deep into the hip joint.

Hip osteotomy

A femoral osteotomy is a surgical procedure that involves cutting and reshaping of a bone. The femur is cut at the end close to the hip joint and realigned so that it forms a normal angle. This improves the distribution of force placed on the joint and prevents wear-and-tear of the cartilage.