Excision of Heterotopic Ossification around the Hip: Arthroscopic and Open Techniques

Heterotopic ossification (HO) can occur as a complication of various pathologies affecting the hip including trauma, tendon avulsions, chronic injury, spinal cord injury, and soft-tissue disruption caused by surgery. When HO is present alongside intra-articular hip pathology such as femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) or labral pathology, consideration should be made to combine the surgical excision of the HO with the FAIS decompression or labral repair if the location and size of the HO is appropriate for arthroscopic excision. Often times, the HO is located in such a position that any central compartment work can be completed before turning to the HO excision. If an open approach is required, the modified Gibson approach can be used for lateral hip access, whereas the Smith-Petersen approach provides anterior hip access. In this Technical Note we discuss arthroscopic techniques for excision of HO in the setting of concomitant FAIS, with discussion of when HO excision occurs in relation to cam decompression and labral repair, and mention tips on how to approach HO excision through an open approach.