The role of arthroscopy in patients with persistent hip pain after total hip arthroplasty

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Lahner, Matthias^{a; *} | von Schulze Pellengahr, Christoph^a | Lichtinger, Thomas K^a | Vetter, Gregor^a | Pesendorfer, Stephan Herbert^a | Hagen, Marco^b | Daniilidis, Kiriakos^c | von Engelhardt, Lars Victor^d | Teske, Wolfram^a

Affiliations: [a] Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, St. Josef-Hospital, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany | [b] Biomechanics Laboratory Department of Sport and Movement Sciences, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany | [c] Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Annastift Hannover (Medical School Hannover, MHH), Hannover, Germany | [d] Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witten/Herdecke, Witten, Germany

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Matthias Lahner, Gudrunstr. 56, Bochum 44791, Germany. Tel.: +49 234 5092707; Fax: +49 234 5092508; E-mail: m.lahner@klinikum-bochum.de.

Abstract: Background:Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a safe and successful procedure for the treatment of osteoarthritis. One of the most common postoperative problems remains persistent hip pain. The arthroscopic evaluation of persistent hip pain following THA can be a valuable diagnostic tool in a select number of patients when carried out by experts in this technique. Objective:Indication for arthroscopy was persistent pain after THA. Inclusion criteria were an absence of radiological loosening and a sterile aspiration 6 weeks before arthroscopy. Hip joint function and pain were evaluated pre- and postoperatively using the visual analogue scale (VAS) and the Hip Outcome Score (HOS), which scored the activities of daily living (ADL), and a sports subscale. Methods:5 patients (3 female, 2 male) with an average age of 60.2 ± 4.27 years (range 51–72 years) were included in the study. Arthroscopy with biopsy, adhesiolysis and psoas tendon release was performed 21.0 ± 21.97 months (range 6–57 months) after primary hip replacement. Results:Pathological findings were prosthetic joint infection (two cases), impingement between acetabular component and psoas tendon (two cases), adhesions of the periprosthetic tissue (one case). The patients achieved a significant improvement of the Hip Outcome Score (HOS), from an average of 45.6 ± 22.5 (range 14.0–63.1) to 76.5 ± 3.8 (range 41.0–89.4, P=0.016). Evaluation of the VAS showed a significant improvement from a preoperative value of 8.8 ± 0.5 to a postoperative value of 3.4 ± 1.0 (P=0.001). Conclusion:Hip arthroscopy provides a minimal-invasive tool for diagnosis and therapy. In cases of persistent pain after THA, standard diagnostic procedures should be utilised. Arthroscopy of a hip post-THA would be highly specialised. As a next step, arthroscopy helps the diagnosis and therapy of persistent pain after THA.

Keywords: Hip arthroscopy, total hip arthroplasty, persistent hip pain, periprosthetic hip infection

DOI: 10.3233/THC-130761

Journal: Technology and Health Care, vol. 21, no. 6, pp. 599-606, 2013