Summary

Retrospective evaluation of the location and size of acetabular labral tears as well as the number of suture anchors required for arthroscopic labral repair.

Abstract

Introduction

Hip arthroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure that has allows treatment of a growing number of hip injuries including acetabular labral tears. Arthroscopic acetabular labral repair has demonstrated excellent short to mid-term outcomes. The goal of this study is to assess the number of suture anchors used in arthroscopic acetabular labral repairs and correlate it to the dimensions of the labral tear as defined by the location of the tear on the clock face.

Methods

A single surgeon’s operative database was reviewed to identify primary arthroscopic hip surgery for the treatment of acetabular labral tears and femoroacetabular impingement. Revision surgeries and patients treated with labral debridement were excluded from this study. The location and dimension of the acetabular labral tear, as measured by the acetabular clock-face system, were recorded. The number of suture anchors utilized for the labral repair was also recorded. Data was analyzed to determine mean size, starting location, and ending location of labral tears. The number of suture anchors utilized to repair each tear was recorded.

Results

106 patients were included in the study. The labral tears extended a mean of 3.5 hours (range 1.5-5.0) on the clock face or 105° (range 45°-150°). Tears ranged between 9:00 and 3:00 on the clock face. The mean tear starting location was 2:12 anteriorly and the mean tear ending location was 10:54 superiorly on the clock face. A mean of 3.1 anchors (range 1-5) was used. Greater tear size was associated with increased number of suture anchors utilized.

Conclusion

This study supports that most acetabular labral tears occur in the anterosuperior quadrant of the acetabulum, with repairs requiring a mean of one anchor per hour on the clock face. The most common tear size was a three-hour tear which required a mean of 3 anchors (range 2-4).