Investigation of the Role of Acetabular Soft Tissue in the Joint Biomechanics of the Hip

Abstract

Osteoarthritis causes more than 250,000 hip replacements annually. Hip replacements and other treatments for hip injury cost the United States healthcare system $4 billion each year. Arthritis of the hip joint is typically evaluated via arthroscopy, a minimally invasive endoscopic procedure that involves insertion of a camera and other surgical tools into the joint. This procedure allows direct inspection of the soft tissues of the hip, but requires damage to the joint capsule via a surgical incision (capsulotomy). Repair of the capsulotomy is performed on a case by case basis, with 80% of surgeons routinely leaving the incision unrepaired. The effects of this capsular damage on joint stability are not fully understood, and it is hypothesized that this damage could lead to accelerated deterioration of the joint later in a patient’s life. A cadaveric study has been designed to investigate the consequences of capsular damage on the stability of the hip via evaluation of the joint suction seal. A mechanical loading system will be used to break the suction seal within the joint with varying degrees of damage to the joint soft tissue. The load required to break the suction seal for each of these conditions will be recorded and evaluated to demonstrate the role of the hip capsule in the formation of the suction seal of the hip joint.