Hip Arthroscopy

Hip Arthroscopy

What Is Hip Arthroscopy?

As we age, our bodies gradually begin to wear down. One of our most essential weight-bearing joints, the hip, is severely affected by our natural aging process. Years of our normal daily activities such as walking, running, and stair climbing, take their toll on our joints. Fortunately, advances in modern medicine have created a minimally invasive surgical procedure to help alleviate hip pain.

This procedure, referred to as a hip arthroscopy, is used to diagnose a plethora of hip ailments. During this procedure, an orthopedic surgeon guides a small camera, or arthroscope, into your hip joint. The camera displays images onto a video monitor and the surgeon is then able to guide smaller surgical instruments around the joint. This procedure is considered minimally invasive because it involves making a small incision just large enough for the arthroscope to be inserted.

Hip Arthroscopy Diagnosis and Tests

Hip arthroscopy is typically recommended after non-surgical treatments have failed. Non-surgical treatments most often include medications, braces, steroid injections, and physical therapy. The camera images projected onto the video monitor help the orthopedic surgeon to make a diagnosis. Typical hip problems that are diagnosed via this procedure include hip dysplasia, synovitis, cartilage tears, and more. Advantages of hip arthroscopy include early treatment for osteoarthritis and delaying or even eliminating the need for a total hip replacement, or arthroplasty.

Hip Arthroscopy Treatment

Treatment during the procedure depends on the severity of the patient’s diagnosis. During an arthroscopy, torn cartilage or tissues can be repaired, bone spurs are trimmed, and inflamed tissues are removed. Occasionally, there may be side effects related to anesthesia or post-op recovery, such as blood clots.

Hip Arthroscopy Recovery Process

Because the procedure is minimally invasive, patients often have less pain and joint stiffness and a much shorter recovery time compared to other surgical procedures. The main components of the recovery process are rest and patience. Everyone recovers at their own pace. Physical Therapy is encouraged for coping with the discomforts that can linger post-surgery. Specific recovery times are determined based on the procedure that the patient has had done. Many patients make a full recovery and can return to unrestricted daily activities within a few weeks. Crutches, walkers, and other assistive devices may be prescribed during the recovery process.

Why Choose TVH for Hip Arthroscopy?

One of the most important decisions patients will make concerning surgery is determining WHERE to have the surgery. At Treasure Valley Hospital we focus on patient safety as our number-one priority and offer pre-registration and will schedule pre-admission testing two weeks prior to patient procedures. At TVH we constantly strive to offer the best individualized care possible. Patient care surveys have determined that TVH consistently receives excellent marks for overall hospital experience and shorter wait times. With low nurse-to-patient ratios, our patients are given superior personal attention. We are committed to offering high-quality surgical care at lower costs to our patients and perform over 6,000 surgeries a year in state-of-the-art surgical operating suites. Treasure Valley Hospital in Boise, Idaho is recognized as the #1 Physician-Owned Hospital. Our physicians have their own independent local practices and serve the community, not hospital administrators.