Acute traumatic tear of gluteus medius and minimus tendons in a patient without antecedant peritrochanteric hip pain

Morphologic similarities between the abductor mechanisms of the hip and shoulder have given rise to the term rotator cuff tear of the hip. Although the true incidence of gluteus medius and minimus tears in the general population is unknown, the association between these tears and recalcitrant lateral hip pain has been described as greater trochanteric pain syndrome. Historically, tears of the gluteus medius and minimus have been thought to be attritional, and associated with chronic peritrochanteric pain, found incidentally during fracture fixation or hip arthroplasty, or with failure of abductor repair following arthroplasty utilizing the anterolateral approach. The literature supports favorable clinical outcomes with operative repair utilizing either endoscopic or open techniques. To our knowledge, there has never been a reported case of an acute traumatic tear of the gluteus medius and minimus that occurred without antecedant peritrochanteric hip pain. In this case, the patient was treated with acute open repair of the gluteus medius and minimus tendons within 3 weeks of injury and excellent clinical results were obtained at 6-month follow-up. Of note, the patient was notified and gave consent for his case to be used in publication.