Periacetabular osteotomy: intra-articular work.

The goal of periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) is to correct acetabular pathomorphology and restore a more normal interplay between the acetabulum and proximal femur. After PAO, the biomechanically improved hip joint is presumed to better resist the progression of degenerative joint disease. Isolated PAO without intra-articular inspection often will underestimate the extent of hip disease in young adults. If intra-articular inspection is not performed at the time of PAO, chondrolabral injuries and dysplastic hip pathologies associated with femoroacetabular impingement will not be detected. The interaction of the acetabulum with the proximal femur is critical, and the presence of iatrogenic femoroacetabular impingement can be assessed with intra-articular inspection at the time of PAO.