Acetabular Dysplasia

The acetabulum is the socket in the hip bone into which the femur (thigh bone) connects. Acetabular dysplasia is a congenital condition in which the socket has improperly formed so the femur cannot fit into it.

Acetabular Dysplasia

• An acetabulum that has acetabular dysplasia is too shallow for the femur to connect into it, and the femur itself may be malformed.

Symptoms

• Acetabular dysplasia generally forms without symptoms throughout childhood and adolescence, though not always. Pain commonly begins at age 30, according to the Hip and Pelvis Institute at St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California. There is usually stress on the rim of the acetabulum, which causes arthritis. Fracturing of the rim may occur from the stress.

Occurrence

• Acetabular dysplasia occurs in about one out of 1,000 births, and is seen more often in females.

Treatment

• Surgical procedures to cure acetabular dysplasia include arthrotomy (surgical incision), periacetabular osteotomy (reforming of the joint surgically) and arthroscopy, during which a long light device (arthroscope) is used to see inside the joint and to do minor surgery.

  Nonsurgical procedures involve strengthening muscles through physical therapy, and lifestyle changes such as weight loss, pain medication and activity restriction, according to Children's Hospital Boston.

Warning

• If not treated, the symptoms of acetabular dysplasia will increase with time, resulting in gradual loss of mobility in that hip and increased pain.