What Is a Pelvic Osteotomy for an Acetabular Dysplasia?

Acetabular dysplasia is a hip disorder that is caused by a shallow hip socket which fails to provide the right coverage for the ball of the hip joint. When the femoral head (ball) doesn’t get enough coverage, it tends to rub & damage the hip joint’s labrum and internal cushion lining. This internal rupture can damage the joint triggering an early case of osteoarthritis which drastically can reduce the quality of life.

While acetabular dysplasia can straight away show up in childhood. In a few cases, it silently takes years to develop and show symptoms resulting in osteoarthritis. Pelvic osteotomy is a procedure performed to stabilize the hip and prevent the early onset of osteoarthritis in patients with acetabular dysplasia.

With the inputs from a top hip replacement specialist in Mumbai, we explain the causes, symptoms and choice of pelvic osteotomy for acetabular dysplasia treatment. Read on:

What causes acetabular dysplasia?

Acetabular dysplasia in most cases is caused by the Developmental Dislocation of the Hip that was either inadequately treated in childhood or ignored due to mild symptoms. “Children treated for DDG must be adequately followed up by physicians to ensure that the bones are fully grown. Failure to do this can increase the chance of acetabular dysplasia.” says the hip replacement surgeon in Mumbai Dr Niraj Vora.

Symptoms of acetabular dysplasia:

In a few cases, the DDH can be so mild in childhood and go under the radar. And it can take years or decades for the symptoms to manifest. Pain in and around muscles of the hip, ache and discomfort in front of the hip and instability of the hip are common symptoms experienced by patients with acetabular dysplasia. A hip specialist must be right away consulted for treatment of acetabular dysplasia when such symptoms are manifested.

Treatment for acetabular dysplasia:

Weight loss, physical therapy and activity restriction are some of the conservative treatment procedures for acetabular dysplasia. In severe and qualified cases, a hip surgeon will recommend surgical procedures like pelvic osteotomy procedure for treating acetabular dysplasia.

Pelvic osteotomy for acetabular dysplasia:

Pelvic osteotomy is a bone shaping procedure that is performed to sufficiently align the femoral head into the hip socket. Pelvic osteotomy procedures can be categorized into three types based on how the alignment is performed:

  1. Reshaping Osteotomy: The volume and shape of the hip socket are adequately modified.
  2. Redirectional Osteotomy: The angle of the hip socket is changed to ensure the right mechanics.
  3. Augmented Osteotomy: The total coverage of the ball is improved for better alignment.

The immediate goal of pelvic osteotomy is to eliminate the instability, irritability and joint degeneration caused by misshaped hip joint. The long-term goal of pelvic osteotomy is to prevent or delay the onset of osteoarthritis. Dr Niraj Vora is the best hip specialist in Mumbai with an extraordinary track record in the treatment of acetabular dysplasia cases with both surgical and non-surgical procedures. If you are in Mumbai and are looking for a consultation for acetabular dysplasia then you can contact him here: @Call: +91-22-6686 8600