Hip Arthroscopy With and Without A Perineal Post: A Comparison of Early Postoperative Pain

To compare postoperative pain and early recovery after hip arthroscopy with and without a perineal post for joint distraction.

We retrospectively reviewed a consecutive series of patients who underwent hip arthroscopy before and after the adoption of a postless technique. Patients who underwent concurrent periacetabular or femoral osteotomy were excluded. Demographic information, procedure variables, and visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores were recorded. Analgesic medications given were converted to morphine milligram equivalents (MME) for comparison. Uni- and multivariate analyses were conducted to compare total MME, postoperative pain, and time to discharge between groups.

One hundred patients were in each group. The overall age (mean ± standard deviation) was 26.5 ± 9.9 years (Post [P]: 57 females; No Post [NP]: 68 females). Total operative time (P 100.4 ± 17.9 minutes vs NP 89.1 ± 25.5 minutes, P = .0004), traction time (P 45.8 ± 10.3 minutes vs NP 40.9 ± 11.1 minutes, P = .0017), and operating room time (P 148.8 ± 19.3 minutes vs NP 137.3 ± 25.8 minutes, P = .0005) were found to be shorter in the NP group. Total MME, and final VAS pain scores in the PACU were similar between both groups (MME, P = .1620; VAS, P = .2139). Time to discharge was significantly shorter in the NP group (P 207.2 ± 58.8 vs NP 167.5 ± 47.9, P < .0001). Patient age (≥25 years) (65.2 ± 18.1 vs 59.8 ± 15.7 [MME], P = .0269) and elevated body mass index (≥25) (65.1 ± 17.1 vs 59.3 ± 16.4 [MME], P = .0164) were factors associated with greater total MME consumption. Female sex was associated with higher postoperative VAS pain scores (FM 4.1 ± 1.6 vs M 3.4 ± 1.8 P = .0027).

Adoption of the postless technique did not result in prolonged operating room or operative time. Overall, both groups had similar postoperative pain, however, the time from surgery to hospital discharge was shorter in the postless group.

III, retrospective comparison study.