Editorial Commentary: Prolonged Delays in Staging Bilateral Hip Arthroscopic Surgery for Femoroacetabular Impingement May Result in Inferior Patient Outcomes: Two Halves of One Problem.

Abstract

Patients with symptomatic femoroacetabular impingement frequently have contralateral symptoms and, thus, alterations to the biomechanics of both hips. It has become increasingly clear that prolonged delays in staging bilateral hip arthroscopic surgery may result in inferior patient outcomes. There is an interchange between primary surgical recovery and altered biomechanics stemming from the untreated hip. At a certain point, the persistence of microinstability and/or femoroacetabular impingement in one hip becomes a limitation to the recovery of the other. Still, individual patient variability remains a critical factor when considering bilateral surgeries. Some patients cannot tolerate 2 surgeries in proximity. The time frame for bilateral surgery should be based on individual patient factors and functional goals.