CASE 36
A 42-year-old man, a passenger in an automobile involved in a head-on collision with another vehicle, was transported to the emergency department complaining of severe pain in the right hip region and upper thigh. The patient was not wearing a seat belt and the force of the impact drove his knee into the dashboard. The physical examination revealed the following: a right limb that was shortened, medially (internally) rotated, and adducted; a contused right knee; and an unremarkable neurovascular assessment. Imaging studies showed a posterior dislocation of the hip with a small discernable fracture but no loose bodies. The dislocation was reduced and postreduction imaging studies confirmed that the maneuver was successful. The patient was prescribed ibuprofen to control the pain and inflammation, instructed to rest and ice the injury, and to perform range-of-motion exercises 1 week later to maintain normal joint flexibility.
WHAT ARE THE LIGAMENTS THAT COMPRISE THE HIP JOINT?
The hip joint is a ball-and-socket type of synovial joint (Fig. 5-2). The acetabulum, formed by the ilium, ischium, and pubis, possesses an inferior acetabular notch. This notch is bridged by the transverse acetabular ligament, which closes the defect. Other ligaments of the hip joint are the (Fig. 5-3):
