Influence of capsular repair versus unrepaired capsulotomy on 2-year clinical outcomes after arthroscopic hip preservation surgery
Authors
Domb BG, Stake CE, Finley ZJ, Chen T, Giordano BD
DOI: 10.1016/j.arthro.2014.10.014
Purpose
To assess whether capsular repair versus leaving the capsule unrepaired affects clinical outcomes at minimum 2 years after arthroscopic hip preservation surgery.
Methods
Retrospective review of 403 patients undergoing hip arthroscopy with either unrepaired capsulotomy (235 patients) or capsular repair (168 patients). Patient-reported outcome measures were collected preoperatively and at ≥2 years follow-up.
Key Findings
- Both groups showed significant improvement in all outcome scores at 2 years.
- Capsular repair patients were younger, had lower BMI, and better baseline scores.
- When controlling for confounding factors, no significant clinical difference was found between capsular repair and unrepaired groups.
Conclusion
Capsular repair is safe and does not negatively impact outcomes, but it does not show clear superiority over unrepaired capsulotomy when confounders are controlled.
What This Means for Patients
Whether the hip capsule is repaired or left unrepaired during arthroscopy may not significantly affect long-term clinical outcomes.