Hip Dysplasia​

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Hip dysplasia occurs when the femoral head (ball) is improperly seated in the acetabulum (hip socket). Over time this misalignment causes pain, labrum damage, and cartilage wear. While most cases of hip dysplasia are caught during infancy, mild or “shallow” cases of dysplasia often are not diagnosed until young adulthood.

 

The field of orthopedics has come a long way in the treatment of hip dysplasia. An entire subspecialty has been created to help treat these patients and restore their function. Prior to the development of this field, the primary treatment method was a hip replacement. Parts of the joint were removed and replaced with a prosthesis. The problem with this route is that young adults, often very active, wear down the prosthesis over time and a repeat hip replacement is often required. The field of hip preservation has overcome these limitations and aims to preserve the patients natural hip joint.

 

 

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Periacetabular Osteotomy​

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Periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) is a surgical procedure that reorients the patients pelvis into the correct position. Cuts are made to the bone to reposition the acetabulum into the correct position. Screws are then placed to maintain this position. This correction reduces pain and wear and tear of the hip joint which prolongs the need for a hip replacement. 

 

Historically, the procedure releases all the muscles around the hip which results in a more invasive procedure and a longer recovery. Dr. Adam Almaguer has completed extensive training in hip preservation and has adopted innovative surgical techniques to decrease surgical time, blood loss, and reduce the number of post-op days in the hospital.

 

It is very important for patients to do research into the surgeon they choose to perform their PAO. This is a highly specialized field in orthopedics and is very technically challenging. Many surgeons claim to do hip preservation surgeries but very few in the country are properly trained to do so.