Hip Dislocation

Dislocating your hip is a medical emergency, for which you should receive immediate treatment. As it usually requires a major force to dislocate the hip, it is often caused by a major fall or automobile accident. Because of this, injuries in other areas of the body are often present as well.

When hip dislocation occurs, the ball-like part at the uppermost end of the thighbone (known as the femoral head) has been moved from its usual location. It usually sits in a cup-like depression within the pelvic bone called the acetabulum or hip socket. The femoral head is held in position by ligaments and tendons around the hip joint.

With a severe impact to the hip area, the ligaments and tendons can be overcome, and the femoral head will be forced out of the acetabulum. It can move either backward — causing a posterior dislocation — or forward — causing an anterior dislocation. The direction depends on the direction of the impact. Posterior dislocation is the most common, accounting for 80-90% of hip dislocations caused by trauma. Regardless of the direction of dislocation, dislocation will often cause severe damage to the nerves, ligaments, pelvic bone, muscles, and other soft tissues around the hip.

Here at YourOrthoSolution, we have some of the top orthopedic surgeons and sports medicine physicians in the country. We are dedicated to getting you back to the things you love through a customized plan that fits only you.

As with all our treatment, the goal is to get you back to full strength and doing the activities you want to do. Our highly trained specialists will take into account several factors and create a customized treatment plan designed specially for you and your needs. We have extensive experience specializing in treating hip dislocations and want to help you start the healing process as quickly as possible to get you on the path to recovery.

Symptoms

Hip dislocation causes severe pain in the hip region and severely limits joint movement. With a posterior dislocation, the leg will typically be bent at the hip and rotated so the knee and foot point inwards. With an anterior dislocation, the leg will usually be straight at the hip, rotated outward, and pushed out to the side, away from the body. Numbness may be present if nerve damage has occurred.

Treatment

A dislocated hip should be returned to its correct position as soon as possible. If there are no other known injuries in the area, this may be attempted without a surgical incision. In this situation — called a closed hip reduction — the physician holds the leg and then maneuvers it so the femoral head returns to its home in the acetabulum. This is a painful procedure, so it will require sedation or general anesthesia. Closed reduction is sometimes attempted in the emergency room, if only sedation is thought to be needed. Otherwise, it is generally performed in an operating room.

If closed reduction is not successful or if there are other injuries around the hip, open reduction of the hip dislocation will be performed. This generally requires a moderately large incision so the hip joint and surrounding tissues can be carefully assessed and treated. Other injuries may be repaired and torn soft tissues or small bone fragments that have entered the hip joint can be removed.

Long-term complications

Even with early and appropriate treatment, long-term problems can occur after a hip dislocation, especially if a fracture occurred at the same time as the dislocation. These complications may include:

• Nerve injuries – during the dislocation, nerves in the area can be injured or even crushed by the femoral head. This is especially likely with a posterior dislocation. The sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back into the leg and foot, is particular vulnerable. An injury to this nerve can cause weakness in the leg and foot.
• Osteonecrosis – if blood vessels are torn during a dislocation, blood flow to the femoral head may be reduced. If the blood flow is sufficiently low, cells within the bone will start to die. This is called osteonecrosis or avascular necrosis of the femoral head. It is a painful condition that can ultimately lead to arthritis and destruction of the hip joint.
• Arthritis – With any break or dislocation, arthritis of the joint is a potential problem in the future. This is particularly likely if the articular cartilage covering the bone within the joint is damaged. Arthritis can eventually lead to the need for other procedures, such as a total hip replacement.

After your surgery, our rehabilitation team at YourOrthoSolution will provide you with the expertise and exceptional experience that you deserve to help you recover as quickly as possible.

At YourOrthoSolution, all of our doctors and staff are committed to ensuring that you not only receive the best orthopedic care in the area but also have an exceptional experience each time you visit our locations. Our dedicated staff will handle all insurance processes for you. You can expect to be in a friendly atmosphere and receive top orthopedic treatment to help you return to full mobility as quickly as possible.