Does obesity affect outcomes after hip arthroscopy? A cohort analysis

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Obesity Medicine
• Patient Outcomes Research

Background:

• Obesity is a significant challenge in surgical treatment, often associated with poorer postoperative outcomes.
• Understanding the impact of obesity on hip arthroscopy outcomes is crucial for patient management.
• Previous research indicates potential disparities in surgical results based on body mass index (BMI).

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the influence of hip arthroscopy on clinical and patient-reported outcomes in obese individuals.
• To compare the effectiveness of hip arthroscopy between obese and non-obese patient cohorts.
• To analyze postoperative scores and patient satisfaction following hip arthroscopy across different BMI categories.

Main Methods:

• Prospective data collection from February 2008 to February 2012, including 680 patients undergoing primary hip arthroscopy.
• Patients stratified into three BMI groups: non-obese (<30 kg/m²), class-I obese (30–34.9 kg/m²), and class-II obese (35–39.9 kg/m²).
• Preoperative and 2-year postoperative assessment using Visual Analog Scale for pain, patient satisfaction, modified Harris hip score, Non-Arthritic Hip Score, and Hip Outcome Score (Activities of Daily Living and Sport-Specific Subscale).

Main Results:

• All patient groups demonstrated significant improvements in all measured outcome scores from preoperative to 2-year follow-up.
• Non-obese patients achieved higher absolute scores postoperatively compared to obese groups.
• Despite lower absolute scores, the degree of improvement in outcome measures was comparable between obese and non-obese patients, with no significant difference in traction time.

Conclusions:

• Hip arthroscopy provides substantial clinical benefit and functional improvement for obese patients.
• Obese patients achieve a degree of improvement similar to non-obese patients, despite starting and ending with lower absolute scores.
• The findings support hip arthroscopy as an effective treatment option for select obese patients experiencing hip pathology.