Mental health disorders may affect hip arthroscopy outcomes

(HealthDay)—For patients with femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) undergoing hip arthroscopy, those with psychological impairment are less likely to achieve a favorable outcome, according to a review published online Dec. 12 in the American Journal of Sports Medicine.

Abby L. Cheng, M.D., from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and colleagues conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the effect of baseline psychological impairment on postoperative outcomes among patients with prearthritic hip disorders, including FAI, acetabular dysplasia, and/or acetabular labral tears.

The researchers identified 12 eligible studies, representing 5,636 patients (median, 35.4 years of age); all the studies assessed patients with FAI after hip arthroscopy. The likelihood of achieving a favorable outcome after arthroscopy was lower for patients with psychological impairment (odds ratio, 0.74); in addition, compared with nonimpaired patients, those with psychological impairment had worse postoperative patient-reported outcome measure scores (weighted mean difference, −20.2 points).

"We need to start screening for symptoms of psychological impairment, and we need to be able to offer our high-risk patients easier access to behavioral health professionals," Cheng said in a statement. "The more we look at it, the more it becomes clear that the mind and the body are connected, and we can't separate them and treat one without treating the other."

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