Hip Labral Repair & Reconstruction
What is the Labrum of the Hip?
The labrum is a ring of strong cartilage that lines the rim of the acetabulum (hip socket).
It acts like a seal and stabiliser, helping to:
Deepen the hip socket for stability
Maintain smooth, frictionless motion
Distribute pressure during movement
Preserve the suction seal that protects the joint cartilage
When the labrum is torn or damaged, patients may experience pain in the groin, clicking or locking, and limited motion.
Labral injuries are often associated with femoroacetabular impingement (FAI), trauma, or previous hip surgery.
Who Should Get a Labral Repair vs. Reconstruction?
The decision between repair and reconstruction depends on the quality and condition of the labral tissue:
Labral Repair:
Recommended when the native labrum is healthy enough to be preserved. The torn section can be reattached to the rim of the socket using suture anchors.
Indicated for treating tears with associated pathologhy (FAI/dysplasia) and good tissue quality.
The goal is to preserve native anatomy and restore the labrum’s suction seal.
Labral Reconstruction:
Performed when the labrum is too damaged, frayed, or previously debrided to repair. The torn tissue is replaced with a graft, which can be from:
The patient’s own tissue (autograft, such as iliotibial band or hamstring), or
Donor tissue (allograft).
Indicated for irreparable tears, revision surgeries, or segmental defects.
The reconstruction restores the labrum’s seal and function when the native tissue cannot.
How is a Labral Repair or Reconstruction performed?
Both procedures are most commonly done arthroscopically through small keyhole incisions using a camera and specialized instruments.
During Labral Repair:
The torn labrum is identified and cleaned.
Small holes are drilled in the acetabular rim.
Suture anchors are placed, and sutures are passed through the labrum to reattach it securely to the bone.
During Labral Reconstruction:
The damaged labral tissue is removed.
A graft is shaped to match the contour of the socket rim.
The graft is fixed using suture anchors, recreating the labrum’s natural shape and suction seal.
In many cases, femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is also treated at the same time by trimming excess bone from the femur (CAM lesion) or socket (PINCER lesion) to prevent recurrence.
When Can I Return to Activities?
Recovery after labral repair or reconstruction follows a structured rehabilitation program that you can find in our hip arthroscopy education forms.
What Complications Occur?
Labral repair or reconstruction is generally safe. A more complete list of complications can be found in our hip arthroscopy education forms:
Stiffness: Reduced range of motion if rehabilitation is delayed or scar tissue develops.
Re-tear, graft failure, progression of arthritis: Occurs when the hip has recurrent impingement or instability. In addition, hips with early-stage arthritis are more likely to develop degeneration of their labral repair/reconstruction.
Residual pain or impingement: May persist if underlying bone morphology (FAI) is not fully corrected.
Graft harvest pain/numbness: This occurs when ITB is harvested from the thigh for a labral reconstruction. A defect in the thigh may be felt after the harvest and this may be uncomfortable. In addition, there may be damage to some sensory nerve to the lateral thigh (lateral femoral cutaneous nerve) during the harvest.
