Editorial Commentary: To Scope or Not to Scope a Patient With Tönnis Grade 2 Hip Osteoarthritis Remains Ambiguous.

Abstract

Hip arthroscopy for patients with Tönnis grade 0 or grade 1 hip osteoarthritis and femoroacetabular impingement has been clearly shown to be of benefit, but in patients with definitive joint space narrowing and sclerosis (Tönnis grade 2 or greater hip osteoarthritis), the benefits of hip arthroscopy are ambiguous. There are limited studies on the results of surgery for this combination, and the current research that exists is contradictory. To further confound the question, the Tönnis classification itself shows varying degrees of inter- and intraobserver reliability. One surgeon's Tönnis grade 2 could be another's Tönnis grade 3. In the end, shared decision-making between the surgeon and patients is required when faced with limited research data.