Bernese PAO

A new periacetabular osteotomy for the treatment of hip dysplasias. Technique and preliminary results.

Ganz R, Klaue K, Vinh TS, et al. Clinical orthopaedics and related research 1988 · PMID 3383491 · doi:10.1097/00003086-198807000-00006

Question

Can a periacetabular osteotomy reorient the dysplastic acetabulum while preserving the posterior column?

Design

Description of surgical technique with early case series results.

Patients

Adolescents and adults with symptomatic acetabular dysplasia.

Intervention

Bernese periacetabular osteotomy (PAO)

Comparison

None

Primary outcome

Correction achieved and early clinical results

Key result

Showed that large acetabular corrections were achievable through a single approach with the posterior column left intact, allowing early mobilisation without external fixation.

Limitations

Small early case series with short follow-up and technique-specific complications.

Impact on practice

PAO became the standard joint-preserving operation for symptomatic adult hip dysplasia without advanced arthritis, performed in specialist young adult hip centres.