Prevalence and characteristics of cam-type femoroacetabular deformity in 100 hips with symptomatic acetabular dysplasia: a case control study

BACKGROUND Cam-type femoroacetabular deformity in acetabular dysplasia (AD) has not been well clarified. The primary purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and characteristics of femoroacetabular deformity in symptomatic AD patients. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the cases of 86 women (92 hips) and eight men (eight hips) with symptomatic AD. The mean patient age was 37.9 (range, 14-60) years. All participants underwent lateral cross-table and lateral whole-spine radiographic examinations to measure the alpha angle and pelvic tilt. Pelvic computed tomography scans were used to measure femoral anteversion. The patients were classified into two groups: AD only group, containing hips with an alpha angle less than 55°; and AD with cam-type femoroacetabular deformity (AD + cam-type deformity) group, containing hips with an alpha angle greater than or equal to 55°. RESULTS Of the patients with AD, 40 hips displayed additional radiographic evidence of cam-type morphology, while 60 hips had exclusive AD morphology. The patients in the AD + cam-type deformity group had significantly increased forward pelvic tilt in the standing position (p = 0.023) and decreased femoral anteversion (p =0.047) compared with the AD only group. CONCLUSIONS Our data revealed that 40% of patients with AD also had radiographic evidence of cam-type femoroacetabular deformity. Greater forward pelvic tilt in the standing position and decreased femoral anteversion seemed to be associated with the cam-type deformity in these patients. These results indicate the morphological features that are most likely to induce secondary symptoms to developmental hip dysplasia. It is suggested that the symptoms in the AD + cam-type deformity group could arise through femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) after periacetabular osteotomy, because a predisposition was present preoperatively.