Sexual function and pregnancy outcomes after periacetabular osteotomy: a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic surgery
• Reproductive health
• Patient-reported outcomes

Background:

• Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) significantly impacts quality of life, including sexual function and pregnancy.
• Periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) is a surgical intervention for symptomatic DDH.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the impact of PAO on sexual function and pregnancy outcomes.
• To analyze patient-reported outcomes following PAO for DDH.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search of major databases (Medline, PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library) from 1996 to November 2023.
• Inclusion of studies reporting on sexual function and pregnancy post-PAO.
• Quality assessment using MINORS criteria and GRADE system.

Main Results:

• Improved sexual function reported in 48.2% of patients post-PAO, with greater improvement in females.
• No pregnancy or delivery complications directly attributed to PAO, but a higher Cesarean section rate (37.4%) was observed.
• Studies were of low methodological quality (MINORS) and low certainty (GRADE).

Conclusions:

• PAO may improve sexual dysfunction in DDH patients due to pain reduction, though benefits are not universal.
• Increased Cesarean section rates post-PAO require further investigation for necessity.
• High-quality, larger studies are needed to definitively assess PAO's impact on sexual function and pregnancy.