Hip Abductor Tendon Repair
What is Hip Abductor Tendon Repair?
Hip Abductor tendon repair is a surgical procedure employed for the treatment of a Hip Abductor tendon tear, when the tear does not respond to conservative treatment.
Hip Abductor tendon tears or rupture is a condition characterized by severe strain of the Hip Abductor muscle that results in partial or complete rupture of the muscle.
These tears are most commonly seen in runners and athletes involved in high-impact sports such as soccer or basketball and can occur due to traumatic injury or degenerative conditions such as tendinopathy (chronic inflammation of the Hip Abductor tendon) or wear and tear.
Anatomy of the Hip Abductor Muscle
The Hip Abductor is one of the major muscles of the hip; essential for the movement of the lower body and keeping the pelvis level during ambulation.
The Hip Abductor muscle arises from the top of the pelvic bone and attaches to the outer side of the thighbone or femur at the greater trochanter by the Hip Abductor tendon. The muscle functions as a hip abductor, controlling side-to-side movement of the hip and providing stabilization to the joint.
How is Hip Abductor Tendon Repair Performed?
Hip abductor tendon repair is a procedure designed to treat painful tendinosis and tearing of the hip abductor tendons.
The outpatient procedure is performed under general anesthesia and typically takes 1 – 2 hours.
A small (3 – 4 inch), cosmetic incision is made on the outer aspect of the hip and the area of tearing/tendinosis is identified and debrided along with the inflamed trochanteric bursa.
Sutures are placed through the tendons and bone anchors are utilized to repair the tendon back to the bone. A window is left in the IT band to decompress the tendon repair and take pressure off of the trochanter to prevent recurrence of trochanteric bursitis.
Post-operatively, patients are instructed to use crutches or a walker for up to 6 weeks to protect the repair.
