Arthroscopic labral repair versus labral debridement in patients with femoroacetabular impingement: a minimum 2.5 year follow-up study.

PURPOSE: To compare the clinical results of labral repair with labral debridement in patients undergoing arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement.

METHODS: Between July 2008 and December 2011, 67 patients (73 hips) underwent arthroscopic treatment for femoroacetabular impingement. The repair group consisted of 33 patients; 18 hips with pincer only, 1 with CAM only and 15 with combined impingement. The debridement group contained 34 patients; 6 with pincer only, 5 with CAM only and 28 with combined type. The mean age in the repair group was 33.5 years (range, 30-61) and in the debridement group was 39.5 years (range, 18-59 y). At the time of last follow-up, patient's hip function was evaluated with ROM of the hip; daily Hip Outcome scores (dHOS) and Visual Analogue Score (VAS).

RESULTS: The mean follow-up was 45.2 month in the repair group and 47.2 month in debridement group. Daily hip outcome scores were significantly improved from preoperatively to last follow-up in both groups (p<0.05). However, there were no statistical significant difference in dHOS between repair and debridement groups (p>0.05) at last follow-up. 2 patients in the repair group and 1 patient in the debridement group had undergone total hip replacement at an average of 16 months (range, 4-32 m) after arthroscopic treatment. Hip joint instability occurred in 1 patient in the repair group due to aggressive capsular resection. This was treated by a periacetabular osteotomy.

CONCLUSIONS: No difference in hip functional outcomes was observed between labral debridement and labral repair in arthroscopic treatment of femoroacetabular impingement.