Bilateral hip arthroscopy under the same anesthetic for patients with symptomatic bilateral femoroacetabular impingement: 1-year outcomes.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether, in patients with bilateral symptomatic femoroacetabular impingement, bilateral surgery under 1 anesthetic is safe and efficacious and allows a rapid return of function compared with staged procedures. METHODS: Three groups were evaluated: in group 1 both hips were treated simultaneously, in group 2 both hips were treated in a staged fashion, and in group 3 a single hip was addressed. The outcome measures were anesthesia and surgical times; time in the hospital; visual analog scale score for pain on postoperative days 1, 3, 7, and 30; analgesic use; and time until the patient could bike, drive, perform office work, perform gym activities, run, and return to play. Midterm evaluation was performed with the Non-Arthritic Hip Score and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index score at 6 and 12 months postoperatively. RESULTS: We enrolled 76 patients (122 hips) in this study. There were 42 male and 34 female patients. The mean age was 33 years (range, 14 to 50 years), and the mean body mass index was 24 (range, 18 to 35). Group 1 comprised 26 patients (52 hips, 16 male and 10 female patients). Group 2 comprised 20 patients (40 hips, 13 male and 7 female patients), with a mean time between surgeries of 14.56 weeks. Group 3 comprised 33 patients (30 hips, 13 male and 17 female patients). No preoperative differences were found between the groups. The surgical and anesthesia times in group 1 were significantly longer than those in groups 2 and 3. We found no significant differences in postoperative visual analog scale scores, analgesic use, or length of hospital stay. Group 1 required more time before patients were able to ride a stationary bicycle (14.7 days in group 1, 7.8 days in group 2, and 8.5 days in group 3; P < .05). We found no differences between the groups regarding when patients returned to driving, performing office work, or reporting a normal gait. Each group had significant improvements in the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index and Non-Arthritic Hip Score at 6 and 12 months compared with preoperatively (P < .05). No significant differences in outcome scores were found in the 3 groups before surgery and at 6 or 12 months after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Simultaneous femoroacetabular impingement surgery does not lead to higher rates of complications, postoperative pain, analgesic use, or side effects. The return to daily activities is similar to a single-hip procedure with the advantage of a single rehabilitation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, retrospective comparative study.

Piriformis Syndrome and Endoscopic Sciatic Neurolysis.

Piriformis syndrome is the compression or the irritation of the sciatic nerve by the adjacent piriformis muscle in the buttock leading to symptoms that include buttock pain, leg pain, and altered neurology in the sciatic nerve distribution. Epidemiological figures of the prevalence are unknown, but are estimated to be about 12.2% to 27%. There is no consensus on the diagnostic criteria. Advancement in magnetic resonance imaging allows us to observe unilateral hyperintensity and bowing of the sciatic nerve. The pathophysiology of the disease includes single blunt trauma, overuse causing piriformis hypertrophy, and long-term microtrauma causing scarring. Treatments include physiotherapy, steroid injections, and surgery. Minimally invasive techniques are emerging with the hope that with less postoperative scar tissue formation, there will be less recurrence of the disease. In this chapter, senior author describes his technique for endoscopic sciatic neurolysis.

Endoscopic Sciatic Neurolysis.

Despite remaining a controversial diagnosis, piriformis syndrome continues to affect patients' quality of life with pain, sitting discomfort, and exercise intolerance. Open sciatic neurolysis has been noted by the senior author to often only bring temporary relief of the symptoms, with the recurrence presumably due to postoperative scar tissue. Minimally invasive techniques used to decompress the nerve have met with mixed results. This article describes a step-by-step surgical technique designed to maximize patient safety, as well as surgeon orientation, and achieve a thorough neurolysis. Preoperative findings suggestive of piriformis syndrome are described and include retro-trochanteric pain, sciatica-like leg pain, and paresthesias, as well as a positive response to computed tomography-guided injection of dilute ropivacaine hydrochloride and 40 mg of triamcinolone. The operation is performed with the patient in the lateral decubitus position through 2 portals 6 to 8 cm apart, allowing for good triangulation. Dissection is undertaken with a combination of radiofrequency and a laparoscopic peanut, with the assistance of a vascular sling to control the sciatic nerve. Encouraging results have been achieved, and with increasing interest in this procedure, a step-by-step technical description with an accompanying video may prove useful for other experienced hip arthroscopists. Pearls and pitfalls are discussed.