Extracapsular approach for arthroscopic treatment of femoroacetabular impingement: clinical and radiographic results and complications☆

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the clinical and radiographic results and complications relating to patients undergoing arthroscopic treatment for femoroacetabular impingement by means of an extracapsular approach. METHODS Between January 2011 and March 2012, 49 patients (50 hips) underwent arthroscopic treatment for femoroacetabular impingement, performed by the hip surgery team of the Orthopedic Hospital of Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul. Forty patients (41 hips) fulfilled all the requirements for this study. The mean follow-up was 29.1 months. The patients were assessed clinically by means of the Harris Hip score, as modified by Byrd (MHHS), the Non-Arthritic Hip score (NAHS) and the internal rotation of the hip. Their hips were also evaluated radiographically, with measurement of the CE angle, dimensions of the joint space, alpha angle, neck-head index, degree of arthrosis and presence of heterotopic ossification of the hip. RESULTS Out of the 41 hips treated, 31 (75.6%) presented good or excellent clinical results. There was a mean postoperative increase of 22.1 points for the MHHS, 21.5 for the NAHS and 16.4̊ for the internal rotation of the hip (p < 0.001). Regarding the radiographic evaluation, correction to normal values was observed for the alpha angle and neck-head index, with a mean postoperative decrease of 32.9̊ and mean increase of 0.10, respectively (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION Arthroscopic treatment of femoroacetabular impingement by means of an extracapsular approach presented satisfactory clinical and radiographic results over a mean follow-up of 29.1 months, with few complications.