Arthroscopic management of acute painful hip following occult subluxation: evidence-based case report

Arthroscopy of the hip joint has gained popularity in the recent past leading to an explosive increase in our knowledge of intra-articular hip pathologies. However, a spectrum of intra-articular hip lesions still needs to be explored to further advance the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of hip pathologies. The orthopedic surgeon occasionally affronts a situation when etiology of traumatic painful hip joint is not vivid and lack of definitive diagnosis prolongs the patient's suffering; however, an elaborate history taking and pragmatic apt arthroscopic intervention can curtail the illness span. Radiological examination generally fails to provide complete diagnosis in hip joints due to compact anatomy of the joint, and a negative report should not be considered as a deterrent for arthroscopic intervention. We report two evidence-based cases to highlight the significance of arthroscopic evaluation and management for occult subluxation of the hip. In both the cases, there was significant and prompt relief of symptoms after arthroscopic debridement.