Young hip surgery patients can avoid repeat surgeries with better prediction methods

Young patients undergoing hip surgery who have a shallower hip bone socket are at risk for a repeat operation, according to research presented today at the American Orthopaedic Society of Sports Medicine 2022 Annual Meeting.

Researchers enrolled 87 patients under age 19 (average age 16.27 years with 73.6 percent of patients female) who underwent surgery for Femoroacetabular Impingement.

Enrolled patients underwent primary surgery (56 surgical dislocations vs 31 arthroscopes) for Femoroacetabular Impingement. Ten of the patients underwent re-operation (11.5%) at an average of 20.6 months from primary surgery. No differences were found in demographics, activity, surgery type, labral disease, or alpha angle for re-operation vs. non-reoperation.

The Lateral Center-Edge Angle (LCEA), the Femoro-Epiphyseal Acetabular Roof (FEAR) Index, and Sharps angle were significantly different (p<0.05).

The analysis indicated that patients with scores of LCEA<21 and FEAR index>-8.8 were at heightened risk of reoperation. Of the patients with LCEA<21° 46% underwent a reoperation compared to those with LCEA>21° (6%). In patients with FEAR index<-8.8, 32% underwent a reoperation compared to patients>-8.8 (5%). Patients who achieved MCID (61.9%) had lower BMI, worse preoperative PROs, and better postoperative PROs at 2 years. Alpha and Sharp's angles were positively correlated with 2+ year PROs, while LCEA was negatively correlated(p<0.05).

Researchers reported that in patients undergoing treatment for femoroacetabular Impingement, a reoperation was associated with radiographic signs of hip dysplasia, indicating that patients with a shallower acetabulum are at risk for a repeat operation.

Reference: "Young hip surgery patients can avoid repeat surgeries with better prediction methods"; AMERICAN ORTHOPAEDIC SOCIETY FOR SPORTS MEDICINE.