Portal Placement for Hip Arthroscopy
Steven D. Sartore1; Scott D. Martin, MD2
1Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
2Brigham and Women’s/Mass General Health Care Center
Hip arthroscopy is a well-established technique that has become a mainstay in the repair of bony and ligamentous injuries when conservative methods fail to return adequate joint mobility and function. The technique has both diagnostic and therapeutic utility and its use as a minimally invasive orthopedic surgery continues to advance. Several studies have suggested that arthroscopic surgical management has more favorable outcomes in certain circumstances when compared to hip-specific conservative measures.
The approach to establishing adequate sites for portal placement is dependent upon recognizing the pertinent anatomy of the surgical site. At the same time, the operator must be mindful of the desired views once access to the joint space has been obtained. Proper visualization of the desired joint region is critical to reducing the conversion of THAs into inherently riskier total joint procedures. Additionally, the neurovascular landscape of the groin presents technical challenges with the procedural approach, which requires significant skill to avoid vital structures in the area. Acetabular labral tears are frequently repaired with this type of operative management as techniques and approaches become more refined. Here, the authors present the case of a 24-year-old woman who is undergoing an arthroscopic anterior labral repair, highlighting both the anatomical landmarks and the access points for portal placement used in the procedure.
