Labral Tear
Labral tears can occur on their own because of wear and tear or an acute injury. However, they commonly occur because of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) – a type of underlying bone abnormality. The disorder is because of a structural abnormality in the hip bone joint. This can place the patient at risk of damage to labrum while performing certain activities, like cycling, running, soccer, jumping, gymnastics, and tennis.
Activities like this place the bones of the hip joint in compromised positions where the labrum can get crushed or become pinched resulting in repetitive damage.
Southern California Hip Institute (SCHI), led by board certified orthopedic surgeon Dr. Tigran Garabekyan, provides orthopedic surgery to patients in Los Angeles, Century City, Beverly Hills, CA, and surrounding locations.
What is Femoroacetabular Impingement?
FAI or femoroacetabular impingement is a condition in which the bones of the hip joint come too close and cause friction or pinch tissues. The femoral head or the ball of the hip joint usually sits on the femoral neck. This is similar to ice cream on a cone.
The friction and pinching take place when the femoral head and neck come in contact with the acetabulum or socket, damaging the hip joint. The friction or pinching can cause damage to the labrum. This is a fibrous cartilage which lines the outer edge of the socket and the articular cartilage.
FAI Symptoms
- There may not be any pain or symptom
- Aching or pain in the groin or inner hip area may occur after prolonged sitting or walking
- A clicking, locking, or catching sensation within the joint
- Pain after sitting for long time periods
- Difficulty putting on shoes and socks
- Difficulty walking up the hill
- Pain in lower back
- Pain in the greater trochanter (side of hip), buttocks, or SI (sacroiliac joint on back of pelvis)
FAI Surgery
FAI surgery can be performed as an open surgery or using hip arthroscopy. The hip is distracted in hip arthroscopy and a video-camera about the size of a pen (known as arthroscope) is used to look within the joint and treat any damage found. The entire procedure is completed by making just 2 to 5 incisions of ¼ inch in size.
Arthroscope can be used for treating all components of FAI, like damaged articular cartilage, labral tear, and bony changes between the socket and ball. Arthroscopic approach can be used for repairing a torn labrum and stimulating new cartilage growth through microfracture.
Hip arthroscopy that doesn’t involve bony decompression or labral debridement can be completed in less than an hour. Hip arthroscopy that involves cartilage or labral repair and FAI decompression generally takes about two hours. The surgery is performed as an outpatient procedure.
Open Surgery
Open surgical hip dislocation can be performed with a single long incision of 7 to 10 inches. It involves cutting the bone in the upper thigh and dislocating the ball from the socket to expose all joint parts. The exposure allows for treating the labral tear and any abnormal contact between the socket and the ball.
Southern California Hip Institute (SCHI), led by board certified orthopedic surgeon Dr. Tigran Garabekyan, receives patients from Los Angeles, Century City, Beverly Hills, CA, and nearby areas for orthopedic surgery.
Contact the Southern California Hip Institute
Dr. Tigran Garabekyan is a board certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in hip preservation. To learn more about Southern California Hip Institute or to schedule a consultation, click here to contact us or call:
Century City / Los Angeles: 310.595.1030
Serving patients in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Century City, West Hollywood, North Hollywood Encino, Sherman Oaks, Van Nuys, Burbank, Glendale and other neighboring cities in the greater Los Angeles, California area.
Also visit http://www.drgorthopedics.com/
