Hip Arthroscopy

Hip arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure used to treat many common conditions. It is the preferred method of treatment over traditional open hip surgery as a result of its smaller incisions and quicker recovery time. Dr. Guanche not only performs the surgery on a regular basis, but he also speaks at many national and international conferences discussing the topic.  He has particular expertise in the area of hip arthroscopy in the athlete.  The procedure is typically performed as an outpatient procedure.  In most of Dr. Guanche’s cases, the procedures are performed at the Center For Orthopedic Center (COSI), which is in the same building as the office.

Patients are usually placed under a general anesthesia and a fascia iliaca block is performed for pain control following the procedure.  In most cases, there is no pain in the operative leg or hip for about 24 hours.  The procedure is performed by the anesthesiologist and takes about five minutes.  Patients do, however, have to be very careful not to put any pressure on the operative leg until 48 hours after the surgery.  This is because the muscles and nerves to the leg are not working completely and cannot support your weight until that time.

The procedure typically uses two or three small incisions to insert a small camera and tools into the hip joint. These are usually about the width of a pencil. The tools are then used to take out torn or damaged tissue and preserve the cartilage that is still present and healthy. This procedure may help postpone and possibly eliminate the need for hip replacement surgery, in some patients.

While hip arthroscopy is a popular procedure used to treat many conditions, it is not for everyone. Talk to your doctor to find out if you are a candidate for hip arthroscopy. Below are some of the common conditions that Dr. Guanche treats with this procedure.

In addition, there are certain patients whose labrum is completely deficient either as a result of injury or after failed surgeries. These patients may then be candidates for LABRAL RECONSTRUCTION, in which a portion of the iliotibial band is used to reconstruct a new labrum.