Endoscopic Hip Abductor Tendon Repair Results in Successful Outcomes With 5- to 10-Year Follow-up

Abstract

Purpose: To report the outcomes of endoscopic repair in a consecutive series of patients with follow-up ranging from 5 to 10 years.

Methods: Sixty-five consecutive hips in 63 patients (2 bilateral) undergoing endoscopic abductor tendon repair with minimum 5-year follow-up were assessed with the modified Harris Hip Score. The minimal clinically important difference (MCID) was determined as one-half the standard deviation of the amount of improvement.

Results: The mean age was 56.6 years (standard deviation [SD], 11.3 years), with 58 female and 5 male patients. Follow-up was obtained on 64 hips (98.5%) at a mean of 85 months (SD, 15.7 months). There were 33 full-thickness and 32 partial-thickness tears, with 40 gluteus medius tears, 23 medius and minimus tears, and 2 isolated minimus tears. Concomitant arthroscopy of the hip joint was performed in 50 patients (52 hips), including 15 with correction of femoroacetabular impingement. The mean modified Harris Hip Score was 48.4 (SD, 15.7) preoperatively and 83.4 (SD, 15.9) postoperatively, reflecting a mean improvement of 34.9 (95% confidence interval, 34.9 ± 4.3), with 92.2% of patients achieving the MCID of 8.7. There were no complications. Three patients underwent further surgery: One underwent total hip replacement at 11 months after abductor repair, one underwent repeated arthroscopy for joint debridement at 12 months after repair, and one underwent revision abductor repair at 6 years postoperatively.

Conclusions: Collectively, with 5- to 10-year follow-up, patients undergoing endoscopic abductor tendon repair can respond exceptionally well, with 92.2% achieving the MCID, even among a heterogeneous group of partial- and full-thickness tears with single- and 2-tendon involvement undergoing single- and double-row repair.

Level of evidence: Level IV, case series.