Acetabular Morphologic Characteristics Predict Early Conversion to Arthroplasty After Isolated Hip Arthroscopy for Femoroacetabular Impingement
Authors
Giordano BD, Kuhns BD, Perets I, Yuen L, Domb BG
DOI: 10.1177/0363546519888894
Background
Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is a common hip issue that is treated through hip arthroscopy. However, some patients with hip dysplasia or borderline dysplasia may experience worse outcomes and may need a hip replacement sooner.
Methods
The study analyzed 419 patients who underwent hip arthroscopy for FAI to examine how the acetabular morphology (the shape and position of the hip socket) affects the need for later hip replacement surgery.
Key Findings
Patients with abnormal acetabular inclination (AI) had a higher risk of needing a hip replacement sooner after surgery. The study found that the degree of AI and the presence of other hip issues, like osteoarthritis, were predictive of earlier conversion to arthroplasty.
Conclusions
AI, along with factors like age and hip cartilage damage, significantly predicts the need for hip replacement surgery after hip arthroscopy. Assessing these factors before surgery may help identify patients at higher risk for early arthroplasty.
What Does This Mean for Patients
If you have FAI and your doctor suspects you have hip dysplasia, it's important to understand that certain hip socket abnormalities may increase the likelihood of needing a hip replacement after surgery.