Hip Labral Repair
Labrum is a ring of strong fibrocartilaginous tissue lining around the socket of the hip joint. Labrum has many functions. It acts as a shock absorber, lubricates the joints and distributes pressure equally. It holds the head of the femur in place and prevents the lateral and vertical movement of the femur head with in the joint. It also deepens the acetabular cavity and offers stability against femoral head translation.
Labral tear may be caused by trauma, femoroacetabular impingement (FAI), hip hypermobility, dysplasia and degeneration. It is a rare condition and is common in athletes playing sports such as ice hockey, soccer, golf and dances like ballet. Structural abnormalities may also cause hip labral tear. Patients may have hip pain, clicking and locking of joint and restricted range of motion. Patients may also experience dull pain on movement of hip joint that may not subside with rest. Hip labral tear is often diagnosed with symptoms, history, physical examination and radiological techniques. Magnetic resonance arthroscopy may be more appropriate for diagnosing hip labral tear.
Your doctor may start with conservative treatment by prescribing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and advising you to rest. These methods may offer symptomatic relief while surgery is required to repair the torn labrum. Your doctor may perform arthroscopic surgery using fiber-optic camera and surgical instruments through the smaller incisions. Depending on the severity of the tear, the damaged or torn labrum may be removed or may be sutured.