Hip arthroscopy: intra-articular saucerization of the acetabular cotyloid fossa.

Hip arthroscopy is increasingly recognized as a treatment option for patients with hip pain and labral tears. When emphasis is placed on labral tears as a primary clinical finding in the peripheral compartment, a broader view of the pathophysiology of these tears may be missed. Therefore, it is imperative to gain arthroscopic surgical access to the central compartment and determine if its contents affect the congruency of the hip joint. Abnormal bone and fibro-fatty tissue in the cotyloid fossa decrease the space available for the ligamentum teres, leading to lateral subluxation of the femoral head and rim loading of the acetabulum at the chondrolabral junction. Rim loading of the acetabulum may induce articular-sided labral tears due to hip incongruency. Although these labral tears may require refixation, the congruency of the hip joint should be restored to the best extent possible. Arthroscopic intra-articular saucerization and debridement of space-occupying lesions in the cotyloid fossa increase the space available for the ligamentum teres, improve the congruency of the hip joint, and mitigate against acetabular rim loading. This article describes a case of arthroscopic intra-articular saucerization of the cotyloid fossa in a 25-year-old man with chronic hip pain. Copyright 2012, SLACK Incorporated.