Definition

The hip is made of a bowl shape socket on the pelvis and a ball at the top of the leg bone. A hip osteotomy is a surgery to cut, reshape, and reposition the bones of the pelvis or legs.

The Hip Joint Copyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc.

Reasons for Procedure

Hip osteotomy is done when the hip bones do not fit together well. Poorly fitting hip bones can cause pain and make it difficult to move. Over a long period of time, the improper fit can lead to problems like arthritis.

The surgery is most often done in children. It may be done because of:

• Conditions that cause abnormal muscle contractions. such as cerebral palsy
• Hip bones do not form correctly, such as in developmental dysplasia of the hip
• Other injuries or illnesses of the hip, such as Legg-Calve-Perthes disease

Possible Complications

Complications are rare. But no procedure is completely free of risk. The doctor will review a list of possible complications, including:

• Incomplete healing of the bone
• Shortening of the leg
• Bleeding
• Ball cannot be fit into the socket
• Infection
• Reaction to anesthesia
• Blood clots
• Injuries to nerves or blood vessels
• Nausea and vomiting

Before your procedure, talk to your doctor about ways to manage factors that may increase your risk of complications such as:

• Smoking
• Chronic disease such as diabetes or asthma

What to Expect

Call Your Doctor

Contact your doctor if your recovery is not progressing as expected or you develop complications such as:

• Signs of infection, such as fever and chills
• Redness, swelling, increasing pain, excessive bleeding, or discharge at the incision site
• Increased pain or swelling
• Cough, shortness of breath, chest pain
• Severe nausea or vomiting
• Numbness, tingling, or loss of feeling in your leg, knee, or foot

In case of an emergency, call for emergency medical services right away.