Editorial Commentary: Evaluate for the Beighton Score and Additional Radiographic Signs of Instability Prior to Proceeding With Hip Arthroscopy in Patients With Combined Borderline Hip Dysplasia and Excessive Femoral Anteversion

Abstract

Femoral version abnormalities have been increasingly recognized as a key factor in the pathogenesis of nonarthritic hip pain. Excessive femoral anteversion (EFA), defined as femoral anteversion greater than 20°, has been postulated to create unstable alignment of the hip, which is exacerbated in patients with concomitant borderline hip dysplasia (BHD). The optimal treatment algorithm for hip pain in EFA-BHD patients remains debated, with some surgeons advocating against arthroscopic procedures in isolation owing to the combined instability due to the femoral and acetabular abnormalities. When determining the treatment approach for an EFA-BHD patient, clinicians should discern whether the patient is presenting with symptoms due to femoroacetabular impingement versus hip instability. When addressing symptomatic hip instability, clinicians are encouraged to evaluate for the Beighton score and additional radiographic factors (other than the lateral center-edge angle) suggestive of instability, such as a Tönnis angle greater than 10°, coxa valga, and deficient anterior or posterior acetabular wall coverage. Because the combination of these additional instability findings with EFA-BHD may portend an inferior outcome after arthroscopic treatment in isolation, an open procedure such as periacetabular osteotomy can be a more reliable treatment option for symptomatic hip instability in this cohort.

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