Does Hip Dysplasia Always Require Surgery?

When your hip socket can’t fully hold the top part of your leg bone, the hip joint can partially or fully dislocate. This condition, which usually develops in utero, is called hip dysplasia.

Although most people with hip dysplasia are born with the condition, symptoms don’t always develop right away. If you’re diagnosed with hip dysplasia as an adult, you may notice painful and frustrating symptoms that include:

• Different leg lengths
• Pain after standing or sitting for long stretches
• Pain that moves to your thighs or buttocks
• Stiffness and loss of hip flexibility
• Hip instability
• Popping or clicking in the hip joint
• Frequent need to shift positions
• Hip pain or discomfort during physical activity
• Limping without a known injury

Since hip dysplasia causes more wear-and-tear on your hip cartilage than a healthy joint, people with the condition also have a higher risk of developing osteoarthritis in their hip. 

You may wonder if surgery is the only treatment for hip dysplasia. The truth is, the right treatment depends on the amount of degeneration, severity of displacement, and your age.

Board-certified orthopedic surgeon Kevin Park, MD, specializes in diagnosing and treating different conditions that affect your joints and bones. At his private practice in Houston, Texas, our team evaluates your symptoms to create a personalized plan for treatment. 

Dr. Park offers several treatment options, including hip dysplasia surgery (called periacetabular osteotomy) for patients requiring surgery. 

Keep reading to learn about the treatments available for hip dysplasia and when the condition necessitates surgical intervention. 

Managing hip dysplasia without surgery

The goal of hip dysplasia treatment is to prevent further damage and eliminate pain and other frustrating symptoms. For patients whose condition is diagnosed early, nonsurgical interventions may be possible. These include:

• Braces
• A harness
• Physical therapy
• Lifestyle changes 

Medications, steroid injections, or alternative therapies (e.g., acupuncture) may be used to minimize pain. 

When hip dysplasia requires surgery

For most people diagnosed with hip dysplasia as an adult, surgery is required to stop more damage from occurring and preserve your mobility. In most cases, this is because the cartilage is already damaged, and only surgery can effectively prevent more damage. 

Several surgical techniques can help correct this condition and preserve your natural joint, reducing your risk of severe osteoarthritis and trouble with walking and physical activity. Here’s a look:

Arthroscopy

For patients with minor hip dysplasia and sufficient cartilage, Dr. Park may use arthroscopy to repair the damaged cartilage. But this surgery doesn’t reposition the socket, so the condition will continue to progress in most cases. 

Periacetabular osteotomy

Most patients with hip dysplasia benefit from periacetabular osteotomy. This surgery works to realign the head of your thigh bone in the hip socket. Dr. Park removes the socket from the pelvis and repositions it to better match the leg bone, stopping the bone from grinding down the cartilage. 

Total hip replacement

For patients without sufficient cartilage, Dr. Park may recommend a total hip replacement. During this surgery, he removes the affected hip and replaces it with a prosthesis and a plastic or ceramic liner instead of cartilage. 

To learn more about hip dysplasia and periacetabular osteotomy, schedule a consultation by calling our Houston, Texas, office.