Z-plasty for External Snapping Hip: A Report of Three Cases

Abstract

Most patients with snapping hip do not experience severe pain and respond favorably to conservative therapy. However in a minority of patients, the pain is persistent and requires surgical treatment. During the period from 1997 to 2003, we experienced three patients who were treated surgically. They consisted of two men and one woman. Their average age was 25 years. All were treated by Z-plasty under regional anesthesia. All achieved pain relief, snapping disappeared, and there were no recurrences. Regional anesthesia is useful for reproducing snapping hip during surgery.