All You Need To Know About Hip Arthroscopy

By Author: Dr. Pranjal Kodkani
Total Articles: 3
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Hip Anatomy
Our hip joints are formed by the lower parts of the pelvic bone, known as the acetabulum, and the femoral heads in a ball-socket form. The acetabulum acts as the socket while the ball-shaped femoral head rotates within it to allow smooth leg movements.
The femoral heads are enveloped by soft articular cartilage that offers cushioning and frictionless movement of the joints. On the other hand, the socket edges are fortified by an O-ring of fibrocartilage called the labrum that keeps the ball-socket joint aligned.
Additionally, the hip joint is surrounded by multiple ligament bands forming a capsule that connects both the bones, called the ligamentum teres. The bottom of this capsule is lined by synovium, a thin membrane that lubricates the joint by producing synovial fluid.
Common Hip Joint Disorders
Being one of the most active joints, the hip is prone to a diverse set of ailments that can develop due to overuse, stress, trauma, or aging. Athletes involved in sports that demand exhaustive footwork, such as football, cricket, basketball, gymnastics, etc., are more likely to suffer severe ...
... hip, damaging the labrum, articular cartilage, or other soft tissues surrounding the joint.
Following are some hip injuries that our arthroscopy specialist in Mumbai treats more often than others.
Labral Tears: The gasket-like labral fibrocartilage may develop tears due to external trauma or extreme stretching of the thighs. They cause mild to severe pain when sitting down or lifting objects which only gets worse if left untreated.
Cartilage Damage: When the articular cartilage wears out, it starts breaking off into small pieces that float around the joint, causing hindrance and friction. These loose cartilage pieces need to be removed by an arthroscopy surgeon.
Hip impingement: also known as Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI), here, either the ball or the socket surface of the hip joint develops an abnormal shape due to excess bone growth, impinging the surrounding soft tissues. These bone growths are called bone spurs, and they may develop on both surfaces.
Ligamentum teres tears: These bands of ligaments can easily tear due to excess strain or other hip ailments, such as impingement or labral tears. Though it is hard to diagnose, it is characterized by pain and discomfort in the hip when you try to bring your legs closer to your chest.
Planning For Hip Arthroscopy
Our arthroscopy surgeon in Mumbai typically suggests a thorough physical examination to decide if you’re a candidate for this surgery. It is to ensure that you don’t have any conditions that aren’t suited for an arthroscopy.
You are expected to disclose your ongoing medications and additional supplements to verify if they can be continued before your arthroscopy. The surgeon may suggest alternative medications if necessary.
The surgeon will also guide you with specific instructions on diet and activity before and after the surgery. You must religiously follow these instructions to avoid unexpected complications.
Hip Arthroscopy Procedure
Hip arthroscopy is usually performed under general anesthesia. Also, before starting the surgery, your leg is placed in traction to pull the hip away from the socket enough for your surgeon to operate.
The surgeon then marks lines to accurately place the incisions and portals for the arthroscope device.
A keyhole size incision (about 1 cm) is made over the skin to insert the arthroscope, and a video feed of the hip joint is established. A fluid is passed through the arthroscope to clear the view of its camera and control bleeding.
The surgeon will evaluate the joint through the video feed and decide which additional surgical tools would be needed. They may include thin MIS tools for shaving, cutting, grasping, tying sutures, etc.
These specialized tools will be inserted through separate keyhole incisions to carry out unique procedures such as smoothening or repairing torn cartilage, removing bone spurs, removing inflamed synovial tissues, etc.
The length of the surgery depends on the extent of repairs needed to restore the natural functioning of the hip joints.
Recovering From Hip Arthroscopy
You will be allowed to leave after a few hours of observation. You may need to walk on crutches or a walker for some time.
Since arthroscopy is minimally invasive, it causes minimal pain, which can be managed through pain medications.
Our surgeon, Dr. Pranjal Kodkani, will also share a unique rehabilitation plan for your prompt recovery. This plan will include activity modifications, a physical therapy plan, and specific exercises.
For athletes, Dr. Kodkani follows specialized joint preservation techniques that can allow them to get back in the game.

Being an experienced arthroscopy specialist in Mumbai, Dr. Kodkani is also known for offering joint rehabilitation surgeries with minimal downtime. If you are troubled by your hip joint, you must consult Dr. Kodkani at least once to seek his advice on minimally invasive surgeries.