Labral Tear Management in Patients Aged 40 Years and Older Undergoing Primary Hip Arthroscopy: A Propensity-Matched Case-Control Study With Minimum 2-Year Follow-up
Authors
Maldonado DR, Ouyang VW, Owens JS, Jimenez AE, Saks BR, Sabetian PW, Lall AC, Domb BG
Background
- Labral tears are common in hip impingement syndrome, and patients aged 40 years and older may experience differences in recovery based on treatment type. This study compares labral repair versus labral reconstruction outcomes in this age group.
Methods
- The study prospectively collected data from patients who underwent hip arthroscopy for labral tear. Patients aged ≥40 years were matched for labral reconstruction or repair, and the study evaluated 2-year patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and secondary surgeries.
Key Findings
- Both treatment methods (repair and reconstruction) showed similar outcomes in terms of pain reduction, improved hip function, and patient satisfaction.
- There were no significant differences in secondary surgeries or achieving the minimal clinically important difference (MCID), patient acceptable symptom state (PASS), or maximum outcome improvement (MOI).
Conclusions
- Both labral repair and reconstruction are effective treatments for patients aged ≥40 years with labral tears, with no significant difference in the overall success rates at 2 years.
What Does This Mean for Patients
- If you're over 40 and experiencing a labral tear, both repair and reconstruction offer promising outcomes. Labral repair remains the preferred treatment for viable labrum, while reconstruction is a good option if the labrum is irreparable.