Hip Arthroscopy

Hip Arthroscopy Overview

Hip arthroscopy is a minimally invasive treatment option that treats many hip injuries and conditions including Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI) and hip labral tears.  Typically this treatment is considered only when patients have not had improvement with conservative treatment modalities such as structured physical therapy.  Our physical therapy team at CONA is experienced in treatment of hip conditions to avoid surgery, as well as rehabilitation of our hip arthroscopy patients after surgery.  Patients who experience hip pain are encouraged to make an appointment with a Carolina Orthopaedic and Neurosurgical Associates (CONA) hip specialist to receive an official diagnosis and find out if this is an appropriate treatment option.

Learn more about other orthopedic hip surgery procedures.

What Conditions Can This Procedure Treat?

After a thorough evaluation, a CONA hip specialist may recommend hip arthroscopy for:

• Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI)
• Hip labral tears
• Loose body removal
• Hip dysplasia

A CONA specialist only recommends surgery when nonsurgical treatment options are not effective and/or a condition or injury is severe.

What Conditions Can This Procedure NOT Treat?

Arthroscopic hip surgery is not a substitute for hip replacement surgery and is not recommended for patients that have severe arthritis requiring hip replacement.

How is a Hip Arthroscopy Performed?

This is performed as an outpatient procedure. General or regional anesthesia is used so no pain or discomfort is felt during surgery. A CONA specialist:

1. Begins surgery. A small arthroscopic camera is carefully placed in the hip joint.
2. Repairs damaged structures in the hip. Damaged soft tissue, cartilage, and bone issues are treated.
3. Ends surgery. Sterile dressings are placed on the hip.

The type and severity of the injury or condition determine total procedure time. Patients return home shortly after their procedure.

What Are The Advantages Hip Arthroscopy?

This treatment has several advantages over traditional open surgery:

• Faster recovery
• Less postoperative pain
• Less surgical trauma
• No overnight hospital stay

More and more hip procedures are performed arthroscopically for these advantages.

What Can I Expect Throughout Recovery?

The type of procedure performed determines total recovery time.  Physical therapy for safe mobilization and hip range of motion exercises will begin a few days after surgery.  Our physical therapists at CONA have experience treating hip arthroscopy patients after surgery and will help optimize your recovery.  Typical postoperative course involves partial weight bearing utilizing crutches and a hip brace for the first two weeks, followed by transitioning to walking without assistive devices under the guidance of your physical therapist.  Once gait has normalized, we focus on optimizing hip range of motion and strength.  High impact activities such as running are resumed around three months after surgery.  Return to sport for athletes is typically between 4-6 months.