Borderline Hip Dysplasia - Best Treated with Hip Arthroscopy or Periacetabular Osteotomy?

As the field of hip preservation evolves, the diagnosis of borderline dysplasia (defined as a lateral center edge angle between 18°-25°) has shown itself to be one of the more challenging diagnoses to treat. As the nuances of acetabular coverage have come to light, the question of whether borderline hip dysplasia is best treated with isolated hip arthroscopy, periacetabular osteotomy, or whether a combined procedure is best, is now top of mind. The goal of these procedures is to not only improve patient symptoms, but to correct underlying pathology and ideally slow the development of hip osteoarthritis. The purpose of this review is to summarize the recent literature and clinical findings regarding both isolated hip arthroscopy and periacetabular osteotomy in the surgical management of borderline hip dysplasia.

Current research demonstrates improved postoperative clinical outcome scores for both patients who had isolated hip arthroscopy in the setting of borderline hip dysplasia and for those patients who underwent periacetabular osteotomy. Mid-term outcomes for patients in both groups have showed low rates of conversion to total hip arthroplasty. No gold standard in the surgical management of borderline hip arthroscopy exists. Improved clinical outcomes have been seen postoperatively in patients who undergo hip arthroscopy and in patients who undergo periacetabular osteotomy. Successful clinical outcomes seem to rely on treatment of the underlying clinical pathology and are largely based on the appropriate surgical indications and appropriate surgical techniques. Surgical decision making in this patient population should be individualized based on a comprehensive evaluation of the patient.