Midterm Outcomes After Simultaneous Hip Arthroscopic Surgery for Bilateral Femoroacetabular Impingement

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Sports Medicine
• Hip Preservation

Background:

• Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is a common cause of hip pain.
• Hip arthroscopic surgery is a recognized treatment for FAI.
• Bilateral FAI presents unique treatment considerations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and midterm outcomes of simultaneous bilateral hip arthroscopic surgery for FAI.
• To compare outcomes between simultaneous bilateral and unilateral hip arthroscopic surgery for FAI.

Main Methods:

• Prospective cohort study (Level of evidence, 3).
• Compared 64 patients (128 hips) undergoing simultaneous bilateral hip arthroscopy with 107 patients (107 hips) undergoing unilateral hip arthroscopy for FAI.
• Assessed International Hip Outcome Tool-12 and Non-Arthritic Hip Score at various postoperative intervals up to 5 years.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in International Hip Outcome Tool-12 scores between groups at any follow-up point up to 5 years.
• No significant differences in Non-Arthritic Hip Score between groups at any follow-up point up to 5 years.
• Similar rates of lateral femoral cutaneous nerve palsy (18% bilateral vs. 16% unilateral).

Conclusions:

• Simultaneous bilateral hip arthroscopic surgery is a safe and effective treatment for appropriately selected patients with bilateral FAI.
• Midterm outcomes are comparable to unilateral surgery.
• Offers a viable surgical option for managing bilateral hip impingement.