Hip preservation
Hip preservation is designed to relieve hip pain by reshaping the natural joint, or by repairing or replacing damaged tissues. It is performed instead of a hip replacement, and is often a solution for those experiencing hip dysplasia or arthritis.
Sky Ridge International Center for Hip Preservation
Internationally recognized hip preservation center of excellence helping keep you in the competition.
If you have hip dysplasia or hip pain, joint replacement is not your only option. Our fellowship-trained, board-certified hip preservation specialists have distinct surgical specialties and are leaders in caring for difficult-to-treat hip conditions. We specialize in treating your hip pain using minimally invasive techniques that address your pain while preserving your natural hip bone.
Treating Young Athletes with Hip Pain
If you’re an active athlete suffering from hip dysplasia or hip pain, joint replacement is not your only option. The expert hip preservation specialists at Sky Ridge International Center for Hip Preservation specialize in treating your hip pain using minimally invasive techniques that address your pain while preserving your natural hip bone.
Conditions treated with hip preservation procedures
At The Sky Ridge International Center for Hip Preservation, our physicians are skilled in diagnosing and treating common and complex hip conditions.
- Hip dysplasia: The top ball part of your thighbone (femur) doesn’t fit properly into your hip socket because it’s too shallow. Hip dysplasia is a leading cause of hip pain and instability in active women ages 13 to 40.
- Hip labral tears: The cartilage tissue (labrum) that lines your hip socket tears.
- Hip impingement: Irregularly shaped bones in your hip joint rub against each other. Hip impingement is also called femoroacetabular impingement (FAI).
- Hip instability: The hip joint feels loose or weak. Hip dysplasia often causes hip instability.
Our hip preservation services and research program
Hip preservation surgery is a subspecialty of our orthopedic program in which surgeons perform procedures designed specifically to preserve your natural hip joint, rather than undergoing a hip replacement. We use the latest technology to pinpoint the cause of your hip pain, including advanced CT scans that create a 3D model of your hip and pelvic region. We also use ultrasound-guided fluoroscopy imaging (moving X-rays) to determine the combination of hip and back pain sources.
Minimally invasive hip arthroscopy
During hip arthroscopy, our surgeons insert a thin scope with a video camera (arthroscope) through a small incision in your hip. They refer to video images from the arthroscope to perform procedures through other small incisions. Hip arthroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure, which means you have smaller scarring and little blood loss and will recover faster.
At the Sky Ridge International Center for Hip Preservation, we specialize in arthroscopic hip labral reconstructions. We treat many patients who experience a repeat hip labral tear after undergoing surgery at another center (a failed labrum repair). Our surgeons expertly reattach tissue or use donor tissue to reconstruct the torn labrum, and we help lower your risk of another tear.
Our surgeons use hip arthroscopy to:
- Diagnose hip conditions
- Remove torn labral cartilage and reattach tissue to bone
- Repair or reconstruct the labrum
- Trim bone spurs caused by hip impingement
- Remove inflamed connective (synovial) tissue
- Perform revision surgery on a previously repaired torn labrum
Periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) procedure for hip dysplasia
Periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) is an advanced surgical procedure for hip dysplasia. Most people develop symptoms between 13 and 40 years old, and our surgeons treat hip dysplasia in both teenagers and adults. The treatment greatly reduces your risk of early-onset hip arthritis before age 50 and the need for a hip replacement at a young age.
During PAO, our surgeons reshape your hip joint and rotate the hip socket into its proper position. This repositioning allows the ball joint (femoral head) to sit correctly in the socket.
Surgeons at the Sky Ridge International Center for Hip Preservation are nationally recognized PAO experts. For you, this means
- Less time in surgery: Our deep experience performing PAOs means we can safely and effectively perform the procedure in about 90 minutes. That’s two to three hours shorter than other centers. Less time in surgery means less time under anesthesia. It also minimizes blood loss.
- Faster recovery: Many of our patients leave the hospital 72 hours after surgery. PAO patients at other centers often have a five- to seven-day hospital stay.
Combination PAO and hip arthroscopy for hip dysplasia and labral tears
We are one of a select few centers nationwide with the expertise to perform periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) and hip arthroscopy during one surgery. Rather than performing two separate surgeries several weeks apart, this combined surgical approach helps optimize outcomes for patients and enable a shorter recovery.
You also benefit from:
- Fewer surgeries
- Reduced time under anesthesia
- Minimal blood loss and tendon and muscle damage
- Shorter hospital stay
- Less pain and scarring
- Faster return to activities
Research and outcomes
The Sky Ridge International Center for Hip Preservation is currently collecting and tracking patient data to improve outcomes and perform research studies that can ultimately change the way patients are treated in this surgical specialty. We are fortunate to have a high volume of patients to support studies across the full patient pathway - before, during and after surgery. Outcome studies focusing on the optimal management of dysplastic patients, including but not limited to anesthesia, patient setup and positioning and postoperative pain management are currently underway.
What does this mean for you?
By bringing together some of the best minds in the field, we hope to build a robust research program with a focus on improving patient care, from nonoperative management to surgical treatment of young, active patients with complex hip disorders.
Concierge services
Whether traveling near or far for specialized medical care, you want to know you are in expert hands before, during and after your stay. Our Sky Ridge Medical Center concierge service works closely with our hip preservation team giving you one point of contact for any questions before your arrival, support for loved ones on the day of surgery and assistance with all hospital services and area accommodations. Call (720) 225-1998 or visit our patient resources page for more information.
What to expect at the Sky Ridge International Center for Hip Preservation
Hip preservation surgery
Don't "play through" hip pain. This surgery can improve your quality of life and save your natural hip joint.
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