Hip Arthroscopy for Greater Trochanteric Bursitis and
Snapping Hip Syndrome
A tight IT band (red and white line) running on the outside of the hip can cause pressure near the greater trochanter which causes bursitis (yellow ellipse)
A common cause of pain on the lateral (outside) of the hip is trochanteric bursitis — this is more common in women. Typically, this is caused by a tight IT (iliotibial) band running on the outside of the hip, causing friction between it and the bone underneath. Most of the time, this disorder can be treated with medications, physical therapy (stretching), and injections. However, when that fails, arthroscopic (endoscopic) surgery is an option. When this problem persists for a long time, tears of important muscles of the hip (the gluteus medius) can occur, which can also be repaired arthroscopically with our latest techniques.
A similar disorder is called External Snapping Hip Syndrome — again, caused by an IT band that is congenitally thickened. This occurs more so in younger patients and is characterized by a broad snapping structure on the outside of the hip (some patients feel like their hip is dislocating because the jumping of the tendon across the hip trochanter is so pronounced). If it is not painful, no treatment is necessary. For those who have pain, though, treatment as noted above is attempted, and if that fails, arthroscopy is also an option that works very well.
Arthroscopy of the peritrochanteric space is one of the newest arthroscopic hip procedures available. See the video below to watch Dr. Farjo performing this procedure.