Significant Heterogeneity in Existing Literature Limits Both Indication and Outcome Comparability Between Studies Involving Periacetabular Osteotomy for Acetabular Dysplasia With or Without Arthroscopy Despite Improvement for Both: A Systematic Review

Significant Heterogeneity in Existing Literature Limits Both Indication and Outcome Comparability Between Studies Involving Periacetabular Osteotomy for Acetabular Dysplasia With or Without Arthroscopy Despite Improvement for Both: A Systematic Review

Authors

Kuhns BD, Becker N, Patel D, Shah PP, Domb BG.

Background

Hip dysplasia is a condition where the hip socket is too shallow, which can lead to pain and arthritis. Surgery can be performed to correct the socket position, sometimes with an additional minimally invasive arthroscopy procedure.

Methods

This study reviewed published research comparing outcomes of hip preservation surgery performed with or without hip arthroscopy. Researchers analyzed pain relief, hip function, complications, and patient-reported outcomes.

Key Findings

• Both surgical approaches improved pain and hip function
• Some patients also had arthroscopy to treat damage inside the hip joint
• Studies varied widely in how they measured outcomes
• Because of this variation, it is difficult to directly compare the two surgical approaches

Conclusion

Both types of surgery appear to help patients with hip dysplasia, but differences between studies make it unclear whether adding arthroscopy provides extra benefit in all cases. What Does This Mean for Patients? Most patients improve after surgery for hip dysplasia, whether or not arthroscopy is added. However, doctors do not yet have perfect evidence to say which approach is best for every patient.