Does obesity affect outcomes after hip arthroscopy? A cohort analysis
Authors
Gupta A, Redmond JM, Hammarstedt JE, Lindner D, Stake CE, Domb BG
DOI: 10.2106/JBJS.N.00625
Purpose
To evaluate whether obesity influences postoperative clinical and patient-reported outcome scores following primary hip arthroscopy.
Methods
Prospective data from 680 patients undergoing primary hip arthroscopy between 2008 and 2012 were stratified by body mass index (BMI) into three groups: non-obese (<30 kg/m²), class-I obese (30-34.9 kg/m²), and class-II obese (35-39.9 kg/m²). Patient-reported outcomes and pain scores were collected preoperatively and at a minimum 2-year follow-up.
Key Findings
- All groups showed significant improvement in outcome scores at 2 years post-op.
- Obese patients had lower absolute scores pre- and postoperatively compared to non-obese patients.
- The degree of improvement (change from baseline) was similar across all BMI groups.
Conclusion
Although obese patients start and end with lower absolute scores, they experience a similar relative improvement after hip arthroscopy compared to non-obese patients.
What This Means for Patients
Obese patients can still gain substantial benefits from hip arthroscopy, but expectations should be managed regarding their overall functional scores post-surgery.