An anatomic arthroscopic description of the hip capsular ligaments for the hip arthroscopist

To examine and describe the normal anatomic intra-articular locations of the hip capsular ligaments in the central and peripheral compartments of the hip joint.

Eight paired fresh-frozen human cadaveric hips (mean age, 73.3 years) were carefully dissected free of soft tissue to expose the hip capsule. Needles were placed through the capsule along the macroscopic borders of the hip capsular ligaments. Arthroscopy was performed on each hip, and the relations of the needles, and thus the ligaments, to the arthroscopic portals and other soft-tissue and osseous landmarks in the hip were recorded by use of a clock-face reference system.

The iliofemoral ligament (ILFL) ran from 12:45 to 3 o'clock. The ILFL was pierced by the anterolateral and anterior portals just within its lateral and medial borders, respectively. The pubofemoral ligament was located from the 3:30 to the 5:30 clock position; the lateral border was at the psoas-U perimeter, and the medial border was at the junction of the anteroinferior acetabulum and the cotyloid fossa. The ischiofemoral ligament (ISFL) ran from the 7:45 to the 10:30 clock position. The posterolateral portal pierced the ISFL just inside its superior/lateral border, and the inferior/lateral border was located at the posteroinferior acetabulum. In the peripheral compartment the lateral ILFL and superior/lateral ISFL borders were in proximity to the lateral synovial fold. The medial ILFL and lateral pubofemoral ligament borders were closely approximated to the medial synovial fold.

The hip capsular ligaments have distinct and consistent arthroscopic locations within the hip joint and are associated with clearly identifiable landmarks in the central and peripheral compartments. The standard hip arthroscopy portals are closely related to the borders of the hip capsular ligaments.

These findings will help orthopaedic surgeons know which structures are being addressed during arthroscopic surgery and may help in the development of future hip procedures.