A limbus labrum is as an enlarged and deformed acetabular labrum, which covers the lateral margin of a subluxed femoral head.
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Epidemiology
Seen in children and young adults.
Clinical presentation
- hip pain and labral tears
- seen mainly in settings of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) or Perthes disease
Pathology
It is a proliferative fibrous-tissue response at the junction of the labrum and outer wall of the acetabulum. It develops in response to the chronic eversion of the labrum and abnormal non-physiological positioning of the hip.
Microscopic appearance
The histological examination of excised tissue show reparative granulation, capillary proliferation, and organized thrombi within limbus.
Radiographic features
MRI
- thickened, enlarged labrum with heterogeneous signal on both T1WI and T2WI (as opposed to normal labrum, which is hypointense on both T1WI and T2WI).
- additional findings of DDH and Perthes disease may be seen