Hip Preservation Specialist

Hip Arthroscopy

Kansas City's most experienced arthroscopic hip surgeon, with over 3,500 procedures performed.

Is This You?

Don't Ignore Unexplained Hip Pain

Hip pain is notoriously difficult to diagnose and even harder to treat well. If you have unexplained hip, buttock, groin, thigh, or knee pain that hasn't responded to typical treatment, or if you've already had hip arthroscopic surgery and are still struggling, Dr. Harlan is one of the few surgeons in the country equipped to find answers.

If you're in your 20s–40s and have been told you have "mild hip arthritis," that diagnosis may be incomplete. What looks like early arthritis is often impingement or labral damage, conditions Dr. Harlan treats every day.

3,500+

Procedures

~90

Days Back to Sport

15+

Years of Experience

Experience

Why Experience Matters in Hip Arthroscopy

Hip impingement wasn't even described in the medical literature until 2003. Since then, our understanding of athletic hip conditions has expanded dramatically, but the field has moved faster than most practitioners have kept up.

Hip arthroscopy is widely considered the most technically demanding arthroscopic procedure performed today. Diagnosis is frequently missed, even by orthopedic surgeons. Imaging can be misleading. And the surgical technique itself demands a level of precision and volume that only a small number of surgeons ever develop.

In hip arthroscopy, your choice of surgeon isn't just important: it's everything. Dr. Harlan has returned athletes at every level to their sport: professional, collegiate, high school, and the dedicated weekend warrior who simply wants to feel like themselves again.

With over 3,500 procedures performed and a singular focus on hip preservation since 2009, he is among a select few surgeons in the United States with this depth of experience.

The Process

What to Expect

Your Initial Consultation

Bring your actual X-ray images, not just the report. You'll meet with Dr. Harlan directly, not a PA. He'll take a full history, perform a detailed physical exam, and walk you through exactly what's happening in your hip.
Surgery

Dr. Harlan uses a PENG nerve block with general anesthesia to minimize post-op pain. Procedures typically take around 90 minutes using the Pink Hip Kit postless positioning system, with roughly 30 additional minutes for positioning and transport. Most patients need only a handful of pain pills afterward.
Recovery

Most patients are off crutches within 3–5 days and walk into their 2-week visit unassisted. Recovery follows three structured 4-week phases. Athletes typically receive sport-specific clearance at month 3 or 4.

What We Treat

Hip Conditions & Procedures

FAI / Hip Impingement

The most common cause of hip pain in active patients. Cam and pincer impingement occurs when the ball and socket don't move smoothly together, gradually damaging the cartilage and labrum. Arthroscopic correction reshapes the bone to restore normal mechanics and stop that damage in its tracks.

Labral Repair & Reconstruction

The labrum is the ring of cartilage that seals and stabilizes the hip joint. When it tears, often from impingement or a single traumatic event, you may feel deep groin pain, clicking, or a sense that the hip is catching. Surgical repair or reconstruction restores the seal and eliminates the pain at its source.

Trochanteric Bursitis

Persistent pain on the outer side of the hip, especially when lying on that side or climbing stairs, is a hallmark of trochanteric bursitis. When physical therapy and injections haven't provided lasting relief, endoscopic bursectomy removes the inflamed bursa and resolves the problem directly.

Abductor Repair

Tears of the gluteus medius and minimus, the muscles that stabilize the pelvis with every step, cause deep lateral hip pain and noticeable weakness. Often called the "rotator cuff of the hip," these injuries are frequently underdiagnosed. Surgical repair restores strength and function that conservative treatment alone can't recover.

See It In Action

3D Illustrations

Watch 3D animations of the exact conditions Dr. Harlan treats, so you can see what's happening inside the hip before you come in.

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Cam Impingement Explained

WATCH ON YOUTUBE

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Pincer Impingement Explained

WATCH ON YOUTUBE

Out-of-Town Patients

Patients Travel From Across the Country

If you've been living with hip pain that nobody has been able to figure out, or you've been told you need a hip replacement and you're not sure that's right, Dr. Harlan may be worth the trip. We regularly work with patients from out of state and will make the logistics easy.

15 Minutes from MCI

Just south of Kansas City International Airport

Our Location

5901 NW 63rd Terrace, Suite 120
Kansas City, MO 64151

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