Arthroscopic Hip Labral Augmentation Technique With Iliotibial Band Graft

The importance of the acetabular labrum has been well documented for the function and overall health of the hip joint. Several biomechanical studies have shown the sealing effect of the acetabular labrum. In the past decade, labral repair procedures have gained increased attention, with the literature suggesting that the outcomes after hip arthroscopy are directly related to labral preservation. However, a primary labral repair can be challenging in cases of hypoplastic, ossified, or complex and irreparable labral tears in which there is insufficient tissue to perform a primary repair. For these cases, labral reconstruction becomes a viable option with good outcomes at short-term and midterm follow-up. A subset of these patients may show viable remnants of the labral circumferential fibers but, because of the low tissue volume, these remnant fibers are unable to maintain the suction seal. In this situation, a labral augmentation may be a viable alternative to labral reconstruction while preserving as much native labral tissue as possible. The purpose of this Technical Note is to describe an arthroscopic hip labral augmentation technique using iliotibial band autograft or allograft.