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Updated: Jun 8, 2026
The Transition to an Anterior-Based Muscle Sparing Approach Improves Early Postoperative Function but is Associated with a Learning Curve
Published on: September 7, 2022
[Learning curve of arthroscopic hip surgery]
Félix Vilchez1, Juan Erquicia, Marc Tey
1Servicio de Ortopedia y Traumatología, Hospital Universitario, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, México. fvc78@hotmail.com
Background:
Hip arthroscopy has become an increasingly used technique in orthopedic surgery; the learning curve of this procedure has been discussed recently. The purpose of this study is to assess the learning curve of arthroscopic hip surgery using the complications occurred during the surgery as an objective parameter to measure the outcomes.
Methods:
Hip arthroscopic surgeries were performed. Patients were divided into two groups, group A corresponded to the learning curve of the first surgeon and group B includes the remaining surgeries. The demographic, surgical, functional and complications data for both groups were collected.
Results:
Group A: 30 patients were included, the traction time during surgery was a mean of 75 minutes (range: 45-120). Five complications occurred (16.6%), all of them related to transient neuropraxia of the pudendal nerve. Group B: 67 patients were included, traction time during surgery was a mean of 63 minutes (range: 35-90), 2 complications (2.9%) occurred.
Conclusions:
Before performing hip arthroscopy it is necessary to have knowledge of arthroscopic surgery and the regional anatomy, and to have received specific training, given that this technique involves a long learning curve.
