Age is not necessarily a determinant: labral reconstruction of the hip demonstrates improved patient-reported outcomes in adults aged 60 years and older.

Abstract

This case series aims to share our experience with arthroscopic circumferential allograft labral reconstruction (CLR) as a part of the treatment for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) syndrome in 34 nonarthritic hips of patients aged 60 and older. Twenty-nine patients had a minimum follow-up of 36 months (ranging from 3 to 10 years), with one case converting to total hip arthroplasty. Five patients were lost to follow-up. Significant improvements were observed across all patient-reported outcomes used at the last follow-up. Modified Harris Hip Scores improved by a mean of 40 points (<i>P</i> < .001), with 96% of patients meeting the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of 8.9. Lower Extremity Functional Scale scores improved by a mean of 31 points (<i>P</i> < .001), with 92% of patients meeting the MCID of 8.6. Pain, as measured by the Visual Analogue Scale, showed significant improvement at rest, during daily activities, and with sports. At the latest follow-up visit, the mean post-operative satisfaction level was 9.2 out of 10, with 96% of patients rating their satisfaction above 7. The case series suggests that CLR as a part of treatment for FAI is a viable surgical alternative to conservative treatment for pain reduction and joint preservation in non-arthritic hips of select patients aged 60 and older. Moreover, the results indicate that chronological age alone is not an absolute contraindication for joint preservation surgery.