Background: Femoroacetabular impingement has become more widely recognized in the athletic patient population. The purpose of the present study was to review the clinical outcome after arthroscopic treatment of femoroacetabular impingement in a mixed population of high-level athletes.
Hypothesis: Arthroscopic treatment of femoroacetabular impingement results in significant improvement in clinical outcome and a high rate of return to play.
Study design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4.
Methods: High-level athletes who underwent arthroscopic treatment of femoroacetabular impingement (rim trimming, labral refixation or debridement, femoral osteochondroplasty) with a minimum of 1-year follow-up were retrospectively identified. All patients completed hip-specific outcome scores (Modified Harris Hip Score [MHHS] and Hip Outcome Score [HOS]) at baseline and most recent follow-up.
Results: Forty-seven patients with an average age of 22.8 ± 6.2 years met the study criteria with a mean follow-up of 27.0 ± 5.5 months. Thirty-three patients (70.2%) were available for follow-up. The level of competition was 27.7% varsity high school, 53.2% college, and 19.1% professional athletes. There were statistically significant improvements in the mean MHHS score (preoperative, 68.6 ± 12.8; postoperative, 88.5 ± 17.7; P = .002) as well as the HOS score (preoperative, 78.8 ± 11.3; postoperative, 91.4 ± 14.0; P = .03). There was a significant improvement in the alpha angle, with 76.4° ± 14.5° preoperatively and 51.4° ± 11.7° postoperatively (P = .0003). Seventy-nine percent of patients were able to return to play after hip arthroscopy at a mean of 9.4 ± 4.7 months (range, 4-26 months); of those patients, 92.3% were able to return to the same level of competition. At 2-year follow-up, 73% of patients were able to return to play.
Conclusion: Arthroscopic treatment of femoroacetabular impingement in a mixed group of high-level athletes may result in a significant improvement in hip functional outcome: 78% of athletes were able to return to play at 1 year and 73% of athletes were able to play at 2-year follow-up.