There has been a marked increase in the number of hip arthroscopies performed over the past 16 years, primarily in the management of
An international faculty of orthopaedic surgeons
presented their work on the current challenges in hip surgery at
the London Hip Meeting which was attended by over
400 delegates. The topics covered included
Advances in hip arthroscopy have renewed interest in the ligamentum teres. Considered by many to be a developmental vestige, it is now recognised as a significant potential source of pain and mechanical symptoms arising from the hip joint. Despite improvements in imaging, arthroscopy remains the optimum method of diagnosing lesions of the ligamentum teres. Several biological or mechanical roles have been proposed for the ligament. Unless these are disproved, the use of surgical procedures that sacrifice the ligamentum teres, as in surgical dislocation of the hip, should be carefully considered. This paper provides an update on the development, structure and function of the ligamentum teres, and discusses associated clinical implications.