Original Research
Incidental "Rotator Cuff Tear of the Hip" at Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty
Am J Orthop. 2010 March;39(3):131-133
Author and Disclosure Information
Hal E. Cates, MD, Monica A. Schmidt, PhD, and Rachael M. Person
Dr. Cates is in private practice at Tennessee Orthopaedic Clinics, Knoxville, Tennessee, is Co-Director, Joint Replacement Center, Parkwest Medical Center, Knoxville, Tennessee, and is Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee.
Dr. Schmidt is the Executive Director, Tennessee Orthopaedic Foundation for Education and Research, Knoxville, Tennessee.
Ms. Person is an undergraduate nursing student at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee.
Gluteus medius tendon tears are occasionally noted during primary total hip arthroplasty. In this study, we reviewed the cases of 513 total hip arthroplasty patients to determine the incidence of these tears and to report clinical outcomes. We found 8 patients (8 hips) with incidental gluteus medius tendon tears for an incidence of 1.6%. After surgical repair, no patient had a perceptible limp or a Trendelenburg sign postoperatively.