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Introduction: Hip arthroscopy is a common procedure in hip preservation surgery. Its complication rate is relatively low. This prospective multicentric study evaluates complication rate in patients undergoing primary hip arthroscopy., Materials and Methods: The study cohort consisted of 908 patients mean age of 37 years (14-67 years). Patients were prospectively included in the study in the years 2009-2017. All complications were recorded and evaluated. The minimum follow-up was 36 months. Results were statistically evaluated and risk factors for complications were identified., Results: The overall complication rate was 7.3% (67/908 cases), the minor complication rate of 4.9% (45/908 cases) and the major complication rate 2.4% (22/908 cases). The most common severe complications were iatrogenic cartilage damage and instrument breakage, while the most common minor complications were perineal hypoaesthesia and heterotopic ossifications. The conversion rate to total hip replacement was 4.2% (39/908 patients)., Conclusion: Hip arthroscopy is a safe procedure with low complication rates. Surgeon training and experience greatly influence the complication rates., (© 2021. SICOT aisbl.)

Purpose: Arthroscopy of the hip joint is considered a demanding procedure with long learning curve. There are only a few studies that concentrate on this topic. This prospective clinical study evaluates the learning curve of the hip arthroscopy based on clinical outcomes, surgical time, and complication rate., Materials: In this study, we first evaluated 150 hip arthroscopy procedures performed by a single surgeon. The patient group consisted of 86 females and 64 males with mean age 37 years (range 16-69). Study cohorts were divided into groups of 50 patients. Surgical time, complication rate and clinical results based on NAHS score were recorded for each group. Statistical analysis of differences between groups was performed using the ANOVA method and paired t-test., Results: We found a statistically significant decrease of complication rate with more procedures performed. There were significantly better clinical outcomes after at least 100 procedures. No difference in surgical time was found, but towards the end of the learning curve, more complex procedures were performed. The only statistical difference was the portal setup time. The learning curves were constructed based on these results., Conclusions: Hip arthroscopy provides very good clinical outcomes if precisely indicated and performed. It is, however, a demanding procedure with many possible pitfalls and complications. According to our study, at least 100 procedures are needed to gain basic technical and indication skills. The presence of a more skilled surgeon in the beginning of the learning curve is advised to reduce the complication rate.