Osteotomy surgery for hip dysplasia normally takes between 60 to 90 minutes under a general anaesthetic, plus a local anaesthetic for pain management.

There are two main types of surgical procedures:

Proximal femoral osteotomy (PFO) – performed on the ball side of the hip

Periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) – performed on the socket side of the hip

At The London Clinic we offer minimally invasive osteotomy which requires shorter incisions (cuts) in your skin and specialised tools. Your surgeon starts by making a small incision on the skin over the front of your hip.

Then using X-ray guidance (fluoroscopy) and specialised miniature tools, they carefully cut through soft tissue and pelvic bone to free your hip socket from your pelvis.

The bone containing the socket joint is then rotated so that it fits more precisely over the head of your thigh bone (femur). Your surgeon then re-attaches your socket using surgical screws and closes the incision with staples.

Sometimes your surgeon might reposition the ball (head of the thigh bone) which is a femoral osteotomy.

Once complete we will take you to the recovery suite while you come round from the anaesthetic.

When your care nurse is happy with your progress, we’ll take you back to your private en-suite to relax.

Osteotomy for hip dysplasia corrects deformities and restores normal hip function for improved movement and weight bearing.

One of the key benefits is that your surgery will prevent wear and tear before it leads to physical changes and arthritis in the hip.

Full recovery from the surgery takes about four months and you’ll need to use crutches for the first six weeks to avoid placing too much weight on your hip.

Most people are fit to drive after eight weeks and can go back to work after six to twelve weeks.

However, how long it takes you to recover from your hip surgery depends on how fit and healthy you are before your surgery.

During your stay at our hospital after your surgery, your physiotherapist will show you some specific exercises you can do at home, which will help you get back on your feet more quickly.

As part of your aftercare package, you can choose to have ongoing physiotherapy and hydrotherapy sessions to enhance your recovery.

Hip dysplasia surgery is considered a safe procedure, but all surgery carries some risk.

Apart from short-lived swelling, bruising and numbness for a few days post-surgery, rarer side-effects can occur:

• Bleeding inside the joint
• Blood clot that develops in a limb (e.g DVT)
• Infection in the joint
• Permanent nerve damage with numbness
• Failure for the bones to heal

We offer enhanced pre-assessment before your surgery and rehabilitation afterwards so we can help prevent this from happening.

At The London Clinic, our orthopaedic surgeons who offer osteotomy for hip dysplasia are world leaders in their field.

You’ll have your surgery in one of our state-of-the-art operating theatres near Harley Street.

During your two to three night stay, your dedicated care team, with your own nurse and physiotherapist, will be on hand to look after you.

To make you feel more comfortable while you’re with us, we offer extra touches like a personalised food menu and a ward coordinator who’ll be able to book additional care for you, such as reiki and acupuncture should you wish.

Once you’re ready to leave The London Clinic, you’ll be given advice to follow to make sure you recover safely at home.

We’ll keep in contact with you over the following weeks to ensure everything is going smoothly and you have everything you need.