Osteoarthritis of Hip

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Introduction - Joint's Slow Grind

  • Chronic, progressive degeneration of hip articular cartilage; "wear & tear" arthritis.
  • Results in joint pain, stiffness, ↓ function, and ↓ range of motion (ROM).
  • Types:
    • Primary (Idiopathic): Most common, age-related (typically >50 yrs).
    • Secondary: Due to pre-existing conditions (e.g., trauma, Developmental Dysplasia of Hip (DDH), Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI), Avascular Necrosis (AVN), Perthes disease).
  • Key pathology: Cartilage loss, osteophyte formation, subchondral sclerosis.
  • Prevalence ↑ with age, obesity, genetics, previous joint injury. Normal vs. Osteoarthritic Joint

⭐ Osteoarthritis of the hip is the most common form of arthritis affecting this joint, primarily characterized by cartilage degradation and osteophyte formation.

Risk Factors - Pathway to Pain

  • Primary (Idiopathic):
    • Age >50 years
    • Female (post-menopause)
    • Genetics
    • Obesity (BMI >30): stress, adipokines
  • Secondary:
    • Trauma (fractures)
    • Developmental (DDH, Perthes, SUFE)
    • Inflammatory (RA)
    • AVN
    • Occupational stress
  • Pathway: Cartilage loss → bone changes (sclerosis, cysts) → osteophytes → synovitis → pain.

⭐ Previous hip injury significantly increases the risk of developing secondary osteoarthritis.

Clinical Features - Groans & Gaits

  • Pain (Groans):
    • Insidious onset, deep aching character.
    • Location: Groin (commonest, C-sign), anterior thigh, buttock; may refer to knee.
    • Worse with activity/weight-bearing, improves with rest.
    • "Start-up" pain after inactivity.
  • Stiffness:
    • Morning stiffness, typically < 30 minutes.
    • Gelling phenomenon (stiffness after rest).
  • Gait Disturbances (Gaits):
    • Antalgic gait (shortened stance phase on affected side).
    • Trendelenburg gait (due to abductor weakness, pelvis drops on contralateral side).
    • Limp.
  • Functional Limitation: Difficulty with ADLs (e.g., stairs, putting on socks/shoes). Trendelenburg Gait Illustration

⭐ Restricted and painful internal rotation is often the earliest clinical sign of hip osteoarthritis.

Diagnosis - Imaging Insights

  • X-ray (AP pelvis & lateral hip): Initial & primary imaging.
    • Hallmark findings (📌 Mnemonic: LOSS):
      • Loss of joint space (superior > medial)
      • Osteophytes (femoral & acetabular)
      • Subchondral sclerosis
      • Subchondral cysts
  • Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) Grading: Assesses severity (Grade 0-4).
    • Grade 2: Definite osteophytes, possible joint space narrowing (JSN).
    • Grade 3: Moderate osteophytes, definite JSN, some sclerosis.
    • Grade 4: Large osteophytes, severe JSN, marked sclerosis, cysts.

Kellgren-Lawrence grades of hip osteoarthritis

⭐ Earliest sign on X-ray: Osteophytes, often at the femoral head-neck junction or acetabular rim.

  • MRI: Not routine; for early changes or when X-ray is normal but suspicion high (cartilage loss, labral tears, bone marrow edema).

Management - Motion Makeover

  • Goals: Pain relief, ↑ function, delay progression.
  • Conservative:
    • Lifestyle: Weight loss (if BMI > 25), activity modification.
    • Physiotherapy: Exercises, assistive devices (cane).
    • Pharmacological: Paracetamol, NSAIDs, intra-articular corticosteroids/hyaluronic acid.
![Post-op X-ray of Total Hip Replacement](https://ylbwdadhbcjolwylidja.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/notes/L1/Orthopaedics_Degenerative_Disorders_Osteoarthritis_of_Hip/e285df22-445a-4483-a5be-54516d0ad4dc.gif)
  • Surgical Details:
    • Total Hip Replacement (THR): Primary choice for advanced OA.
    • Osteotomy: Realigns joint; for younger patients.

⭐ Total Hip Replacement (THR) is one of the most successful and cost-effective surgical interventions in medicine.

High‑Yield Points - ⚡ Biggest Takeaways

  • Groin/anterior thigh pain, worse with activity, is characteristic of hip OA.
  • Loss of internal rotation is an early and significant clinical sign.
  • Radiographs reveal superolateral joint space narrowing, osteophytes, and subchondral sclerosis/cysts.
  • Morning stiffness is typically brief, lasting < 30 minutes.
  • Trendelenburg gait may be present due to abductor muscle weakness or pain.
  • Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA) is the definitive surgical treatment for advanced, debilitating disease.
  • Major risk factors include advanced age, obesity, and prior hip joint injury or disease.

Practice Questions: Osteoarthritis of Hip

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Severe disability in primary osteoarthritis of hip is best managed by -

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Flashcards: Osteoarthritis of Hip

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What is the earliest pathological change seen in osteoarthritis?_____

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What is the earliest pathological change seen in osteoarthritis?_____

Asymmetrical hyaline articular cartilage loss

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