Hip Surgery: Surgical Dislocation of the Hip

Also known as: open dislocation of the hip.

What is surgical dislocation of the hip?

A surgical hip dislocation is a controlled, and safe, method of surgically removing the hip from it’s socket (acetabulum). This allows access to the hip joint to treat a variety of hip problems.

What happens during the procedure?

In order to safely dislocate the hip, the surgeon first detaches a small sliver of bone from the femur, leaving the muscles attached. Then the surgeon can safely remove the head of the femur from the hip socket without damaging the blood flow to the hip. With the femur removed, the surgeon can identify and treat problems in the hip joint. After treating the problem in the hip, the hip is returned to its original position and the detached portion of femur bone is reattached with screws.

Is any special preparation needed?

The patient may need to avoid food, drink or medication for a set period of time prior to the procedure. Frequently, several diagnostic tests are performed prior to surgery.