Staged Bilateral Hip Arthroscopy Compared With a Matched Unilateral Hip Arthroscopy Group: Minimum 2-Year Follow-Up

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS) and Non-Arthritic Hip Score (NAHS) at 2-year follow up in patients who underwent staged bilateral hip arthroscopy versus age-, sex-, and body mass index-matched patients who underwent unilateral hip arthroscopy.

Methods: Patients who underwent staged bilateral primary hip arthroscopy between January 2007 and December 2017 for the indication of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) with a minimum 2-year follow-up were identified. The control group comprised patients who underwent a unilateral hip arthroscopy for FAI. The mHHS and the NAHS were analyzed.

Results: Forty-two patients (84 hips) in the bilateral group were matched with 84 patients (84 hips) in the unilateral group. Both groups had significantly improved mHHS and NAHS when comparing preoperative scores with postoperative scores (bilateral group mHHS: 45.5 ± 15.1 to 81.7 ± 17.6, P < .0001, bilateral group NAHS: 49.5 ± 13.8 to 83.6 ± 20.0, P < .0001, unilateral group mHHS 48.5 ± 13.8 to 83.6 ± 15.9, P < .0001, unilateral group NAHS 48.8 ± 12.0 to 85.0 ± 16.6, P < .0001). The patient-acceptable symptomatic state was achieved in 57 hips (68%) in the bilateral group versus 62 hips (74%) in the unilateral group, P = .4. Patients with bilateral hip arthroscopy who had <17 months between index procedure and contralateral hip arthroscopy had significantly better mHHS and NAHS (85.5 ± 18.4 vs 75.71 ± 14.4, P = .013 for mHHS and 88.1 ± 17.1 vs 76.2 ± 22.4, P = .0074 for NAHS).

Conclusions: Bilateral hip arthroscopy for the indication of FAI has improved mHHS and NAHS at 2 years of follow up compared to baseline. There was no difference in 2-year mHHS and NAHS in patients who underwent bilateral hip arthroscopy and unilateral hip arthroscopy. Patients in the bilateral hip arthroscopy group that had the contralateral surgery longer than 17 months from index procedure had lower 2 year follow up mHHS and NAHS scores than those that underwent the second surgery within 17 months of the index procedure.

Level of evidence: Level III, retrospective comparative study.