Hip Endoscopy

The hip joint is one of the largest weight-bearing joints and is the point where the thigh bone (femur) and the pelvis (acetabulum) unite. It is a ball and socket joint in which the head of the femur is the ball and the pelvic acetabulum forms the socket. The area outside of the hip joint is called the “peritrochanteric space”. In this space, we can visualize the trochanteric bursa, gluteus medius/minimis, and iliotibial band.
Hip endoscopy is a minimally-invasive procedure involving 2-3 small “poke-hole” incisions around the outside of your hip.

Indications for Hip Endoscopy

• Trochanteric bursitis/Hip bursitis – Around the outside of the head-neck junction is the trochanteric bursa which is a large sac located on the outside of your hip. This can become inflamed in certain individuals causing “trochanteric bursitis” or “hip bursitis”.
• Gluteus Medius/Minimis Tears – The gluteus medius and minimis tendon attachments are visualized on the greater trochanter of the femur and repair of underlying tears of these tendons can be performed.
• External Snapping – The iliotibial band is the ligament that crosses the hip joint, runs down the lateral thigh and attaches to the knee; the band helps stabilize and move the joint. In certain individuals it can become inflamed and tight causing painful “external snapping” during hip flexion and extension over the prominence of the greater trochanter. Hip endoscopy lengthens the ligament and usually removed the snapping.