Faculty Bibliography

Subchondroplasty is a relatively new procedure developed to treat bone marrow lesions by injecting a calcium phosphate bone substitute into the pathologic, subchondral area of bone under fluoroscopic guidance. The procedure is described as a minimally invasive strategy that provides reliable relief of pain while preserving the native joint with minimal risk of significant complications. No prospective, randomized clinical trials have reported the efficacy of the procedure. Here, we present the case of a 64-year-old healthy male who developed Staphylococcus aureus osteomyelitis following subchondroplasty requiring further surgical intervention and intravenous antibiotic therapy.

Hip dysplasia, when significant, is effectively treated with periacetabular osteotomy. There have been good results reported with hip arthroscopy when dysplasia is mild. However, when dysplasia is significant, hip arthroscopy with labral repair alone has led to poor results and even rapid decline to end stage arthritis. Staged hip arthroscopy and periacetabular osteotomy would potentially treat the labral lesion and correct the underlying bony abnormality that resulted in the labral pathology. Such a staged treatment plan should help prevent progression to degenerative joint disease. We report a case of a 33-year-old woman who presented with left hip pain and was diagnosed with mild hip dysplasia and a labral tear. She underwent staged hip arthroscopy and labral repair followed by periacetabular osteotomy 2 weeks later. Three and a half months after surgery she developed constant pain and began limping at 5 months. Radiographs showed progression to severe degenerative joint disease. The patient was indicated for total hip arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Most patients who undergo total hip arthroplasty are very satisfied with their outcomes. However, there is a small subset of patients who have persistent pain after surgery. The etiology of pain after total hip arthroplasty varies widely; however, tendon disorders are a major cause of debilitating pain that often go unrecognized. METHODS: We performed a literature review to identify the most common tendon pathologies after total hip arthroplasty which include iliopsoas tendinitis, greater trochanteric pain syndrome, snapping hip syndrome, and abductor tendinopathy. RESULTS: We present a simplified approach highlighting the presentation and management of patients with suspected tendinopathies after total hip arthroplasty. These tendinopathies are treatable, and management begins with nonoperative modalities; however, in cases not responsive to conservative management, operative intervention may be necessary. CONCLUSION: Tendinopathies after total hip arthroplasty sometimes go unrecognized but when treated can result in higher surgeon and patient satisfaction.

Objectives: Objective and clinical results of microfracture for treatment of chondral defects of the knee is well documented, yet outcomes for microfracture of the hip have not been extensively studied. Recently, several studies demonstrated clinical improvements in patients treated with microfracture of the hip. The purpose of this study is to examine clinical outcomes and survivorship in patients who underwent microfracture during arthroscopic hip surgery. Methods: A retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected database was performed. Thirty-eight patients with a mean age of 41 (range, 17-64) who underwent microfracture during arthroscopic hip surgery by a single surgeon (senior author) were identified. Demographic data, diagnosis, and details regarding operative procedures were collected. All patients were indicated for hip arthroscopy based on standard pre-operative examination as well as routine and advanced imaging. Baseline pre-operative modified Harris Hip Scores (mHHS) and Non-Arthritic Hip Scores (NAHS) were compared to mHHS and NAHS at two-year follow-up. Additionally, survivorship data was assessed to determine failure, defined as any subsequent revision arthroscopic surgery and/or hip arthroplasty of the same hip. Results: Thirty-four of the 38 (89.5%) patients were available for two-year clinical follow-up. Baseline mean mHHHS and NAHS for all patients improved from 50.6 (+/- 12.7) and 46.9 (+/-12.8) to 84.7 (+/- 12.5) and 85.6 (+/- 11.2) respectively. Both improvements were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Eight patients (23.5%) met failure criteria and underwent additional surgery at an average of 23.9 months. Two patients (5.8%) underwent revision arthroscopic surgery, and six patients (17.7%) underwent hip arthroplasty. Conclusion: Significant improvements in clinical outcomes are seen at two-year follow-up after microfracture treatment of chondral lesions of the hip. Despite overall success, failure rates are relatively high. As with microfracture of the knee, results favor short-term clinical improvements, but results may decline at two years. Larger studies are needed to fully assess the efficacy of microfracture in arthroscopic hip surgery

PURPOSE: To examine clinical outcomes and survivorship in patients aged 60 years or older who underwent hip arthroscopy for management of hip pain. METHODS: Prospectively collected data for patients 60 or older undergoing hip arthroscopy were obtained. All patients were indicated for hip arthroscopy based on standard preoperative examination as well as routine and advanced imaging. Demographic data, diagnosis, and details regarding operative procedures were collected. Baseline preoperative modified Harris Hip Scores (mHHS) and Non-arthritic Hip Scores (NAHS) were compared to mHHS and NAHS at the 2-year follow-up. Survivorship was assessed to determine failure rates, with failure defined as any subsequent ipsilateral revision arthroscopic surgery and/or hip arthroplasty. RESULTS: Forty-two patients met inclusion criteria. Mean age (standard deviation) and body mass index were 65.8 years (4.5 years) and 26.1 (4.7), respectively. Baseline mean mHHS and NAHS for all patients improved from 47.8 (+/-12.5) and 47.3 (+/-13.6) to 75.6 (+/-17.6) and 78.3 (+/-18.6), respectively (P < .001 for both). Five patients (11.9%) met failure criteria and underwent additional surgery at an average of 14.8 (8-30) months. Three underwent conversion to total hip arthroplasty (7.1%), whereas 2 had revision arthroscopy with cam/pincer resection and labral repair for recurrent symptoms (4.7%). One- and 2-year survival rates were 95.2% and 88.9%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that in patients 60 or older with Tonnis grade 0 or 1 osteoarthritic changes on initial radiographs-treatment with hip arthroscopy can lead to reliable improvement in early outcomes. As use of hip arthroscopy for treatment of mechanical hip pain increases, additional studies with long-term follow-up are needed. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, therapeutic case series.

Traumatic hip dislocations are high-energy injuries that often result in considerable morbidity. Although appropriate management improves outcomes, associated hip pathology may complicate the recovery and lead to future disability and pain. Historically, open reduction has been the standard of care for treating hip dislocations that require surgical intervention. The use of hip arthroscopy to treat the sequelae and symptoms resulting from traumatic hip dislocations recently has increased, however. When used appropriately, hip arthroscopy is a safe, effective, and minimally invasive treatment option for intra-articular pathology secondary to traumatic hip dislocation.

Bone marrow edema of the knee occurs secondary to a myriad of causes. The hallmark of a bone marrow lesion (BML) is an area of decreased signal intensity on T1 weighted MRI with a corresponding area of increased signal intensity on a T2 weighted MRI. Recently, chronic bone marrow lesions have been correlated with knee pain and progression of osteoarthritis. These lesions have also been associated with other degenerative conditions such as meniscal tears, cartilage deterioration, subchondral cyst formation, mechanical malalignment, and ultimately progression to arthroplasty. Medical treatments, such as prostacyclin and bisphosphonate therapy, have shown promise. Alignment procedures, as well as core decompression and subchondroplasty, have been used as surgical treatments for chronic BMLs.

Greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS) is a term used to describe disorders of the peritrochanteric region. This constellation of conditions includes greater trochanteric bursitis, gluteus medius (GM) tears, and external coxa saltans or snapping hip syndrome. Tears of the abductor mechanism, more specifically gluteus medius tears, have recently gained a considerable amount of interest in the orthopaedic literature. Abductor tears were first described by Bunker and Kagan in the late 1990s. They used the rotator cuff as an analogous structure to describe the pathological process associated with gluteus medius tears. Tears of the gluteus medius tendon can often be difficult to recognize. The clinical presentation is often attributed to trochanteric bursal inflammation, without any further workup. Provocative hip physical examination findings are an important key to proper diagnosis of abductor injuries. Depending on the size of the tear, patients with abductor tendon pathology may present with a Trendelenburg gait and reduced resisted abduction strength accompanied by pain. Initial noninvasive management of greater trochanteric pain syndrome includes oral or topical anti-inflammatory medication and activity modification. Physical therapy or other treatment modalities can be considered, with a focus on core strengthening, truncal alignment, and iliotibial band stretching. Gluteus medius tears have historically been repaired in an open fashion; however, the advent of new endoscopic surgery techniques has allowed for a less invasive approach. Access to the peritrochanteric space affords the surgeon with access to pathology associated with the greater trochanter, iliotibial band, trochanteric bursa, sciatic nerve, short external-rota tors, iliopsoas tendon, and the gluteus medius and minimus tendon attachments. Over the last decade, we have seen rapid technological advances in hip arthroscopy, improved diagnostic imaging and interpretation, and an improved understanding of intra-articular and peritrochanteric hip pathology. As the emphasis on hip arthroscopy in residency and fellowship training programs continues to increase, the learning curve for endoscopic management of peritrochanteric disorders will continue to improve.

BACKGROUND: Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) has been increasingly recognized as a cause of hip pain in athletes at all levels of competition, specifically ice hockey players. PURPOSE/HYPOTHESIS: The purpose of this study was to define the prevalence of cam and pincer radiographic deformity in elite ice hockey players. The hypothesis was that elite hockey players will have a higher prevalence of radiographic hip abnormalities compared with the general population. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: Anteroposterior and frog-leg lateral radiographs on 137 elite ice hockey players were prospectively obtained during the 2014-2015 preseason entrance examinations. Study participants included National Hockey League roster players as well as the respective farm team members. Demographic data were collected, including age, position, shooting side, and any history of hip pain or hip surgery. Patients with a history of hip surgery were excluded from the analysis. A single sports medicine fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeon used standard radiographic measurements to assess for the radiographic presence of cam or pincer deformity. Radiographs with an alpha angle >/=55 degrees on a frog-leg lateral view were defined as cam-positive. Each participant underwent a preseason physical examination with an assessment of hip range of motion and impingement testing. RESULTS: A total of 130 elite ice hockey players were included in the analysis; 180 (69.4%) hips met radiographic criteria for cam-type deformity. The prevalence in right and left hips was 89 (69.5%) and 91 (70.0%), respectively; 70 (60.8%) players demonstrated bilateral involvement. Hips with cam deformity had a mean alpha angle of 67.7 degrees +/- 8.3 degrees on the right and 68.9 degrees +/- 9.0 degrees on the left. Of the patients with alpha angles >/=55 degrees , 5.6% (5/89) had a positive anterior impingement test of the right hip, while 11% (10/91) had positive anterior impingement test of the left. Players with radiologic cam deformity had a statistically significant deficit in external rotation of the right hip, as well as in both internal and external rotation of the left hip, compared with those with normal alpha angles. When assessing for crossover sign, 64 of 107 (59.8%) had a positive radiographic finding. Forty-one players (38.3%) had evidence of a crossover sign of the right hip and 42 (39.3%) of the left. When comparing position players, goalies had the highest prevalence of cam-type deformity (93.8%) and the least acetabular coverage. CONCLUSION: The study data suggest that elite ice hockey players have a significantly higher prevalence of radiographic cam deformity in comparison to what has been reported for the general population.