Background: Mixed femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is typically managed with both femoral and acetabular rim osteoplasties, but it has not been reported if the rim osteoplasty is always required.
Hypothesis/purpose: We hypothesized that mixed FAI managed by femoral or combined femoral and acetabular osteoplasties will both attain satisfactory clinical results, provided intraoperative impingement-free functional motion is attained.
Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 30 hips (23 patients, mean age at surgery 24.3 years, mean follow-up time 1.6 years) with mixed FAI who underwent surgical dislocation of the hip and had femoral osteochondroplasty with rim trim (RT, n = 21) or no rim trim (NRT, n = 9). Physical examination results and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis (WOMAC) scores were evaluated.
Results: Mean (± SD) WOMAC pain scores improved from 6.56 (± 2.96) to 2.33 (± 3.64) in the NRT group (p = .002) and from 6.86 (± 4.15) to 3.86 (± 3.95) in the RT group (p = .014). Function improved in both groups, but the difference was significant only for the NRT group (p < .001). Over 50 % of patients in both groups had resolution of impingement sign. Internal rotation increased from 8.6° (± 11.8) to 20.0° (± 10.4) in the NRT group (p = .043) and from 4.0° (± 12.1) to 18.6° (± 14.0) in the RT group (p < .001). Both groups had increased flexion post-operatively to normal range, but the change was only significant for the RT group (p = .02). Both groups had insignificant decreases in external rotation.
Conclusion: Satisfactory clinical outcomes were seen in hips with mixed impingement, regardless of whether RT was performed, provided impingement-free functional motion was attained and no severe cartilage damage was seen.