Hip arthroscopy procedure means faster recovery time

Until recently, many people have had to live with chronic hip pain until the joint deteriorated to such a point that hip surgery was warranted. Thanks to the latest medical technology, however, surgeons are now able to repair several hip conditions before they deteriorate to the point of needing traditional surgery.

Hip arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgical technique used for specific hip joint disorders, including cartilage injury, labral tears and bone impingement. It is accomplished through two to three 1-centimeter (less than ½ inch) skin incisions. The physician places a fiber-optic video camera into the hip joint to see exactly what is wrong, then he or she performs the procedure with specialized instruments inserted through the other small incisions. This kind of surgery has proven very effective, particularly for hip impingement, which can lead to early arthritis.