Surgical hip dislocation for the management of acetabular osteoid osteoma in an adolescent: a case report

Osteoid osteoma of the acetabulum is a rare and diagnostically challenging condition that may mimic intra-articular hip pathology. We present the case of a 15-year-old boy with persistent nocturnal hip pain initially misdiagnosed as femoroacetabular impingement. Imaging with computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a 1.4 cm nidus located in the central acetabular plate. The patient underwent surgical hip dislocation with complete excision of the lesion. Postoperatively, the patient became pain-free, and at 6-month follow-up showed full functional recovery. This case highlights the importance of considering osteoid osteoma in adolescents with atypical hip pain and the role of surgical hip dislocation for lesions in difficult anatomical locations.