Background: Telehealth use has increased significantly of late. However, outside of total hip and knee arthroplasty, there is minimal evidence regarding its efficacy in orthopaedics and postoperative rehabilitation. Purpose: To determine the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of a transition to postoperative telehealth physical therapy in patients undergoing hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI). Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Included were 51 patients undergoing postoperative physical therapy after hip arthroscopy for FAI. The intervention group consisted of patients undergoing initial in-person visits followed by a transition to telehealth physical therapy for 3 months postoperatively (group 1; n = 17). Comparison groups included patients undergoing in-person physical therapy with the same physical therapy team as the telehealth group (group 2; n = 17) and patients undergoing in-person therapy with a different therapy team at the same facility (group 3; n = 17). All groups were matched 1-to-1 by patient age and sex. All patients completed the short version of the International Hip Outcome Tool (iHOT-12) both preoperatively and at 3 months postoperatively. At 3 months postoperatively, it was determined whether patients met the minimally clinically important difference (MCID; ≥13 points) or substantial clinical benefit (SCB; ≥28 points) or whether they reached a Patient Acceptable Symptomatic State (PASS; ≥64 points). Billed charges were recorded as a measure of cost. Results: The overall mean age of the study patients ranged from 33 to 34 years. Among the 3 groups, there was no significant difference in the preoperative, postoperative, or pre- to postoperative change in iHOT-12 scores or in the percentage of patients meeting MCID, SCB, or PASS at 3 months. Group 1 had significantly lower mean costs ($1015.67) compared with group 2 ($1555.62; P = .011) or group 3 ($1896.38; P < .001). Conclusion: In this pilot study, telehealth physical therapy after hip arthroscopy was found to lead to similar short-term outcomes and was cost-effective compared with in-person physical therapy.
To describe the recovery trajectory in a group of relatively older borderline dysplastic female femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) patients following arthroscopic surgery, to determine if outcomes in this group differs from females with different age and bony morphology characteristics. Four subgroups were created to define (i) older females (>35 years), borderline dysplastic (lateral center edge angle [LCEA] ≤ 25 degrees) and anterior wall index (AWI) deficient (AWI ≤ 0.40) (older, borderline dysplastic, anterior wall deficient [ODD, reference]); (ii) younger (≤35 years), borderline dysplastic (LCEA ≤ 25 degrees) and deficient anterior wall (AWI ≤ 0.40) (younger, borderline dysplastic, anterior wall deficient [YDD]); (iii) older (>35 years), non-dysplastic (LCEA > 25 degrees) and non-deficient anterior wall (AWI > 0.40) (older, non-dysplastic, non-deficient anterior wall [ONN]); and (iv) younger (≤35 years), non-dysplastic (LCEA > 25 degrees) and non-deficient anterior wall (AWI > 0.40) (younger, non-dysplastic, non-deficient anterior wall [YNN]). One hundred and seventy-three female patients were included. Comparing mean scores, the ODD group reported significantly lower International Hip Outcome Tool (iHOT-12) change scores compared with the ONN group [23.58 ± 9.73;
P
= 0.03] at 12 months. ODD group also demonstrated significantly lower iHOT-12 change scores compared with the ONN (27.62 ± 8.22;
P
< 0.01) and YNN (25.39 ± 7.68;
P
< 0.01) groups at 24 months. Relatively older females with borderline dysplasia and anterior acetabular wall deficiencies had poorer iHOT-12 outcomes at both 12 and 24 months post-operatively compared with other female subgroups. In the absence of hip dysplasia and anterior wall deficiencies, superior iHOT-12 outcomes were observed in both older and younger females post-operatively.
Background: Reported outcomes of patients undergoing hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) with underlying borderline acetabular dysplasia are mixed. This may in part be the result of mixed-sex reporting. Purpose: To determine the effect of radiographic measures of acetabular dysplasia and hip instability on outcomes of female patients undergoing hip arthroscopy for FAI. Study Design: Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: This was a retrospective study of female patients undergoing arthroscopic surgery for FAI. All patients had preoperative radiographs including a standing anteroposterior pelvic view on which lateral center-edge angle (LCEA), anterior wall index (AWI), posterior wall index (PWI), and femoroepiphyseal acetabular roof (FEAR) index were measured. Patient outcomes were quantified by preoperative and postoperative 12-Item International Hip Outcome Tool (iHOT-12) scores. All patients had follow-up at 2 to 4 years postoperatively. Published values for minimal clinically important difference (MCID), substantial clinical benefit (SCB), Patient Acceptable Symptom State (PASS), and a normal (iHOT-12 > 86 points) or abnormal (iHOT-12 < 56 points) hip were used to determine outcome, as well as the final iHOT-12 score and iHOT-12 preoperative to postoperative difference. Results: The cohort consisted of 249 female patients (83% follow-up) with iHOT-12 scores at 2 to 4 years after surgery (mean, 34.6 months). Female patients with combined LCEA ≤25° and AWI <0.35 had lower final iHOT-12 score and iHOT-12 difference and were less likely to meet MCID, SCB, and PASS and have a normal hip and were more likely to have an abnormal hip as determined by iHOT-12 cutoffs when compared with those patients who had an LCEA >25° and an AWI ≥0.35 (all P < .05). There was no effect of PWI on outcomes. Similarly, female patients with combined LCEA ≤25° and a laterally oriented (positive) FEAR index were less likely to meet MCID, SCB, and PASS and have a normal hip and were more likely to have an abnormal hip compared with those patients who had an LCEA >25° and a negative (medial) FEAR index (all P < .05). In multivariate regression, an LCEA between 18° and 25° was an independent predictor of worse outcomes. Conclusion: An LCEA of 18° to 25°, in combination with an AWI of <0.35 or a laterally opening FEAR index, was predictive of worse outcomes in female patients undergoing hip arthroscopy for FAI.
This article describes how we were able to decrease patient radiation exposure from hip computed tomography (CT) for hip preservation evaluation without a degradation of image quality. This is a retrospective review of a quality improvement project. The study included patients who underwent hip CT at a single center as part of a clinical evaluation for young adult hip pain. Four distinct protocols were used during the study period. All protocols included at CT scan of the hip with slices through the distal femur to evaluate femoral version. Patient variables collected included age, gender, and body mass index (BMI). The dose–length product was collected and the effective dose in millisieverts (mSv) was calculated. Differences in dose between protocols were compared using analysis of variance with appropriate post hoc tests and multivariate general linear regression. A total of 613 patients underwent hip CT during the study period with 304 patients in protocol 1, 83 in protocol 2, 136 in protocol 3, and 91 in protocol 4. When controlling for age, gender, and BMI there was a significant decrease in effective dose of radiation from protocol 1 (3.63 mSv) to protocol 2 (3.06 mSv) (p = 0.002) and protocol 2 (3.06 mSv) to protocol 3 (2.16 mSv) (p < 0.001). There was no difference between protocol 3 (2.16 mSv) and protocol 4 (2.10 mSv) (p = 0.269) but protocol 4 was easier to administer. In regression modeling, BMI (p < 0.001) and protocol used (p < 0.001) were independent predictors of effective radiation dose (model R
2 = 0.585). Through a longitudinal clinical quality improvement project, we were able to decrease the effective radiation exposure to patients undergoing hip CT for hip preservation evaluation by close to 50%. Only CT protocol used and patient's BMI were predictors of ionizing radiation exposure.
Level of Evidence Level 3, retrospective comparative study.
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