81% of Un-Repaired Interportal Capsulotomies Showed As Healed on Magnetic Resonance Imaging 5 Years Following Primary Hip Arthroscopy

PurposeTo evaluate whether un-repaired interportal capsulotomy presents with capsular defect at MR imaging 5 years after primary hip arthroscopy, and to determine its effect on functional results and findings of osteoarthritis on a radiograph or MRI imaging.MethodsPatients with femoro-acetabular impingement (without arthritis, dysplasia) were retrospectively reviewed after arthroscopic labral repair or debridement and femoroplasty through interportal capsulotomy without closure. Patients were assessed preoperatively and a minimum of five years postoperatively using patient-reported outcomes (Hip Outcome Score Activities of Daily Living [HOS-ADL], modified Harris Hip Score [mHHS]), visual analogue scale scores, radiographic measures, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)ResultsForty patients (42hips) eligible for the study were evaluated and 81% of the hips had healed capsules, while there were 8 (19%) hips had capsule defects at the latest MR imaging. There were three hips with subchondral oedema in the defect group compared to one in the capsule healed group (p: 0.01) at the latest MRI, which were not present at preoperative MR imaging (still positive at the multivariate analysis when the preoperative alpha angle was also taken into consideration . Functional results did not differ between groups (p>0.05).ConclusionIn this study, 81% of interportal capsulotomies healed without repair at 5 years after primary hip arthroscopy.