Does Concomitant Lumbar Spine Disease Adversely Affect the Outcomes of Patients Undergoing Hip Arthroscopy?

The practice of hip arthroscopy is increasing in popularity, which has highlighted the importance of identifying risk factors that predict hip arthroscopy outcomes. The literature suggests that lumbar spine disease is an independent risk factor for poorer outcomes following total hip arthroplasty; however, the effect of lumbar spine disease on hip arthroscopy outcomes has not been fully investigated. At present, there is a paucity of literature investigating the effect of coexisting hip and lumbar spine disease on outcomes after hip arthroscopy.

To evaluate the outcomes of hip arthroscopy in patients with concomitant lumbar spine disease compared with those without a history of lumbar spine disease.

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

A retrospective review of a prospectively collected, single-surgeon database was performed to identify patients who underwent hip arthroscopy with subjective and objective evidence of lumbar disease. Patients were included if they were skeletally mature; had hip disease that failed nonoperative treatment; had symptoms of low back pain, lumbar radiculopathy, or lumbar stenosis at the time of surgery; and had advanced imaging of the lumbar spine (computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging) confirming lumbar spine disease. Patients were excluded if they had any previous hip surgery or evidence of osteoarthritis of Tönnis grade 2 or higher. The hip-spine cohort was matched by age, sex, and body mass index in a 1:3 fashion to a control cohort consisting of patients without symptoms of low back pain, lumbar radiculopathy, or lumbar stenosis at the time of surgery or a history of lumbar spine disease who underwent hip arthroscopy over the same time period. Baseline preoperative modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS) and Non-Arthritic Hip Score (NAHS) were compared with scores at 3-, 6-, 12-, and 24-month follow-up, and rates of revision arthroscopy or total hip arthroplasty were assessed. Statistical analysis was performed with the Student t test.

A total of 38 patients with radiographically confirmed lumbar disease were matched with 111 control patients. Preoperative mHHS and NAHS were significantly lower in the hip-spine cohort (P = .01 and P = .02, respectively); however, no significant differences were found in mHHS or NAHS between the cohorts at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months postoperatively. A 89.8% increase in mHHS was found in the hip-spine cohort, compared with a 74.4% increase in the control cohort (P = .0475). No significant differences in the rates of revision or total hip arthroplasty conversion were identified between the hip-spine and control cohorts (23.7% vs 18.0%, respectively; P = .44).

Patients with known lumbar spine disease who underwent hip arthroscopy had a significantly greater percentage improvement at 24-month follow-up compared with those without a history of lumbar spine disease, and outcomes were ultimately not significantly different. No increased risk of reoperation was noted in patients with concomitant lumbar spine disease.