Preserve Your Natural Hip. Protect Your Future Mobility.
Hip pain shouldn't keep you from enjoying an active, healthy lifestyle, especially at a young age. At OrthoLA, Dr. Eric Greber offers periacetabular osteotomy (PAO), an advanced hip preservation procedure designed to improve hip stability, relieve pain, and help patients maintain their natural hip joint for years to come.
With specialized orthopedic expertise and comprehensive care close to home, OrthoLA is committed to helping patients move better and live more comfortably.
What Is Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO)?
Periacetabular osteotomy, commonly called PAO, is a specialized orthopedic surgery used to treat hip dysplasia, a condition in which the hip socket is too shallow or improperly positioned to adequately support the ball of the hip joint.
In a healthy hip, the ball and socket fit together to provide stability and allow smooth movement. In patients with hip dysplasia, insufficient coverage of the femoral head can lead to joint instability, uneven pressure on the cartilage, pain, and premature joint deterioration.
PAO addresses the underlying structural problem by carefully repositioning the patient's existing hip socket to provide better coverage and support.
PAO preserves the patient's natural hip joint. By improving joint alignment and distributing weight more evenly, the procedure aims to relieve symptoms, improve function, and potentially delay or prevent the need for hip replacement.
Who Is a Candidate for PAO Surgery?
PAO is most commonly considered for adolescents and young adults with symptomatic hip dysplasia who want to preserve their natural hip joint.
Potential candidates may include individuals who:
Have been diagnosed with hip dysplasia
Experience persistent hip pain or instability
Have limited or no advanced hip arthritis
Have sufficient healthy cartilage to benefit from joint preservation
Have symptoms that have not adequately improved with conservative treatment
Not every patient with hip dysplasia requires surgery. Dr. Greber evaluates each patient's symptoms, imaging, joint health, and individual goals to determine whether PAO or another treatment approach may be appropriate.
How Does PAO Surgery Work?
During a periacetabular osteotomy, Dr. Greber makes carefully planned cuts in the pelvic bone surrounding the hip socket.
The socket is then repositioned to improve coverage of the femoral head while preserving the patient's natural hip joint. Once the desired alignment is achieved, the repositioned bone is secured with surgical screws to allow healing.
The goal is to create a more stable, properly aligned hip joint that distributes pressure more evenly across the cartilage.
Because PAO corrects the underlying bony anatomy, it differs from procedures that address only soft-tissue problems, such as certain labral tears.
