Hip Labral Tear Surgeon
Are you an athlete who participates in contact sports or in activities that require repetitive movements of the hip? Have you had a hip dislocation or traumatic injury? If so, hip labral tear surgeon, Dr. Jeff Padalecki can help. For patients in Austin, he provides diagnosis and both surgical and nonsurgical treatment options to repair a torn labrum. Contact Dr. Padalecki’s team today!
What is a Hip Labral Repair?
A hip labral tear is often the result of overuse in sports. The labrum can become torn for a variety of reasons. The labrum can be injured or torn because of a traumatic, acute injury (such as a hip subluxation or dislocation that occurs during competitive sports) or through a chronic, degenerative process that results in tearing related to years of repetitive small injuries. When a labral tear occurs, certain Austin, Round Rock, and Cedar Park, Texas residents may require a surgical hip labral repair. Dr. Jeff Padalecki, hip surgeon, specializes in torn hip labrum treatment so his patients can return to the activities they enjoy.
What is a Hip Labrum Tear?
The labrum is the soft, flexible tissue that surrounds and covers the rim of the hip socket (known as the acetabulum). The labrum exists to provide stability to the hip joint and is critical in distributing load throughout the cartilage. Athletes who participate in sports (such as golf, ice hockey, soccer, and football) where powerful rotations and forceful pivots occur are at the highest risk for developing a labral tear. This type of injury can be a major source of hip pain and weakness for athletes. Symptoms include hip weakness, hip pain, or a “catching” sensation within the hip joint.
How is a Hip Labrum Tear Treated?
Dr. Padalecki will assess the hip joint by conducting a physical examination, as well as taking a deeper look at the joint either through an X-ray or an MRI. Initial treatment may include pain relievers and physical therapy. If conservative measures do not heal the torn labrum and resolve the symptoms over a specified period of time, Dr. Padalecki will treat the injury using an arthroscopic surgical approach.
How is a Hip Labral Repair Performed?
Arthroscopic hip surgery to repair the labrum of a hip has advanced in recent years and is becoming a popular treatment choice among surgeons. It has been noted to consistently yield positive outcomes for patients. Using arthroscopic techniques, which include small incisions and the insertion of a tiny camera and surgical tools, Dr. Padalecki will enter the hip joint and assess the injury. He will remove the loose fragments from within the joint and trim or repair the labral tear. This involves shaving and smoothing out the torn portion of the labrum (debridement) and reattaching the healthy segments with suture anchors (repair).
Depending on the size of the labral tear, Dr. Padalecki may implement a number of different approaches during the actual repair procedure. In larger and more complex cases that include cartilage damage, he may choose to use a labral fixation approach. This involves using specialized sutures and bioabsorbable anchors to complete the repair process. Alternatively, he may use a technique known as a labral reconstruction procedure for chronic cases where the labrum is so severely damaged that it is unable to be repaired. During this procedure, he will use a graft to reconstruct the damaged labrum. This graft will come either from the patient’s fascia or a cadaver. The goal of labral reconstruction surgery is to restore the functional anatomy of the native labrum, restore the normal biomechanics of the hip, and prevent further damage to the articular cartilage.
What Occurs After a Hip Labral Repair?
Post-op recovery following a hip labral repair will depend on the complexity of the surgery. Following arthroscopic surgery, the patient will be given a strict rehabilitation protocol to follow with a skilled physical therapist. Depending on the exact nature of the surgery, once physical therapy has been completed, most athletes are able to return to sports within 4-6 months.
For additional information on surgical hip labral repair, or to inquire about torn hip labrum treatment, please contact the Austin, Texas orthopedic office of hip surgeon Dr. Jeff Padalecki.