Editorial Commentary: Acetabular Paralabral Cysts…It's All About Location, Location, Location….

Abstract

With our increased understanding about the causes of young adult hip pain and femoroacetabular impingement, magnetic resonance imaging has become an important diagnostic tool for identifying labral pathology. However, arthroscopic evaluation is paramount to understanding whether a labral tear truly exists in these patients. Orthopaedic dogma suggests that acetabular paralabral cysts form due to an associated acetabular labral tear. Nevertheless, a cause and effect relationship has not yet been proven in the literature. The location of these paralabral cysts may influence the clinical symptoms that they cause and their diagnostic utility. Further work is needed to fully understand the relevance of acetabular paralabral cysts in patients with femoroacetabular impingement.