Hip Surgery: Surgical Dislocation of the Hip
Also known as: open dislocation of the hip.
What is surgical dislocation of the hip?
A surgical hip dislocation is a controlled, and safe, method of surgically removing the hip from it’s socket (acetabulum). This allows access to the hip joint to treat a variety of hip problems.
What happens during the procedure?
In order to safely dislocate the hip, the surgeon first detaches a small sliver of bone from the femur, leaving the muscles attached. Then the surgeon can safely remove the head of the femur from the hip socket without damaging the blood flow to the hip. With the femur removed, the surgeon can identify and treat problems in the hip joint. After treating the problem in the hip, the hip is returned to its original position and the detached portion of femur bone is reattached with screws.
Is any special preparation needed?
The patient may need to avoid food, drink or medication for a set period of time prior to the procedure. Frequently, several diagnostic tests are performed prior to surgery.What are the risk factors?
Infection, bleeding, continued pain, and injury to surrounding tissues are all potential complications of surgical dislocation of the hip.Reviewed by: Kevin S Horowitz, MD
This page was last updated on: 1/19/2026 5:44:09 PM
Hip Program
Providing evaluation and treatment of a full spectrum of hip disorders in children, adolescents and young adults. Treatment methods include open and arthroscopic surgical techniques such as hip surgery. Our evaluation process combines a detailed clinical examination with state-of-the-art radiographic imaging.
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