SURGICAL TREATMENT OF THE ANTERIOR FEMOROACETABULAR IMPINGEMENT SYNDROME OF THE HIP

Abstract

Introduction: The anterior femoroacetabular impingement syndrome has so far been a great unknown in orthopedic surgery. It is typically characterized by pain when the hip is subjected to the flexion – adduction – internal rotation movement. This pain is provoked by the impaction of the head-neck interface on the anterior wall of the acetabulum. The reason for this may be a retroverted acetabulum, an excessively prominent anterosuperior femoral head-neck junction or a combination of both. For many years, patients have been diagnosed with “adductor tendinopathy” or “inguinal herniations”, when in fact they had a coxofemoral problem.

Materials and methods: The first 14 cases operated were analyzed; all of them were young patients who played sports regularly. Using the modified Smith-Petersen approach, an osteoplasty was made in order to resect in the anterior wall and the superior walls of the acetabulum – the latter only in part – and the prominent head-neck junction of the femur. The result was an improvement in the joint balance and the disappearance of impingement. Unlike other authors (Ganz, Trousdale), we avoided an osteotomy of the greater trochanter as a surgical approach.

Results: In 13 of the first 14 cases operated with the technique described, immediate pain relief was achieved on internal flexorotation. ROM went from −17 ° mean internal rotation (range: −14°–−28°) in one 80 ° flexion to +23° after one month postop (range: 14°–32°). After two months, there were no instances of Trendelemburg sign or osteonecrosis of the femoral head.

Conclusions: We should wait to assess the pre-osteoarthritic development of these patients, although their clinical and functional improvement is evident.