Capsular Repair May Improve Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Hip Arthroscopy for Femoroacetabular Impingement: A Systematic Review of Comparative Outcome Studies

Capsular Repair May Improve Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Hip Arthroscopy for Femoroacetabular Impingement: A Systematic Review of Comparative Outcome Studies

Authors

Owens JS, Jimenez AE, Shapira J, Saks BR, Glein RM, Maldonado DR, Ankem HK, Sabetian PW, Lall AC, Domb BG
DOI: 10.1016/j.arthro.2021.03.063

Background

Hip capsular repair during hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) has been debated. This systematic review explores whether repairing the hip capsule improves outcomes compared to not repairing it.

Methods

The review included 16 studies that compared different capsular management techniques (capsular repair vs. unrepaired capsulotomy) in patients undergoing hip arthroscopy for FAI. A total of 2,996 hips were studied, and patient-reported outcome measures (PROs) were analyzed.

Key Findings

The majority of studies found that capsular repair resulted in better PROs than leaving the capsule unrepaired. The studies consistently showed that capsular repair led to superior or similar outcomes compared to unrepaired capsulotomies. No studies showed superior results for the unrepaired group.

Conclusions

Capsular repair during hip arthroscopy may improve patient outcomes, with better PROs compared to unrepaired capsulotomies, especially for patients without arthritis.

What Does This Mean for Patients

If you are undergoing hip arthroscopy for FAI, opting for capsular repair may improve your chances of a better outcome in terms of hip function and pain relief.