Periacetabular vascular anatomy in high-riding dysplastic hips: a CT angiographic study

Abstract

Background: Developmental hip dysplasia (DDH) is shown to have osseous and neural abnormalities but literature is sparse with investigation of vascular structures. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate periacetabular vascular structures. Methods: By computerised tomography angiography (CTA), 13 highly dislocated hips of 11 patients’ iliac bone to external iliac and obturatory artery and vein proximities were measured and compared with the same measurements of 20 healthy hips of 12 patients. Numbering from superior to inferior, a total of 7 axial images were created on the 2D CTA coronal images with 1 cm apart, the 4th being at the level of acetabular dome. Results: The mean age of the patients was 53 (18–72) years. Dysplastic hips tended to have curved (53%) and healthy hips tended to have straight iliac arteries ( p = 0.037). As compared to healthy hips, external iliac veins were significantly closer to the bone at all levels, but the external iliac arteries were closest at 1st to 4th levels ( p < 0.001) in dysplastic hips. The course of the obturatory arteries was similar in both groups ( p = 0.147). Conclusions: The external iliac artery and vein is in close proximity to the iliac bone which dangers acetabular screw, acetabular reaming or retractor placement in highly dislocated hips. The surgeon should be aware of this proximity in operations of these hips to avoid vascular complications.