Endoscopic Shelf Acetabuloplasty Combined With Hip Arthroscopic Labral Repair, Cam Osteoplasty, and Capsular Plication Enables Elite Athletes With Acetabular Dysplasia to Return to Sport: A Case Series.

Objective: To investigate clinical outcomes and return to sport timeline for athletes with acetabular dysplasia after endoscopic shelf acetabuloplasty (ESA).

Design: A retrospective review.

Setting: Wakamatsu Hospital of the University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan between 2012 and 2019.

Patients: Fifteen elite athletes (median age: 20 years) of 253 patients undergoing ESA, arthroscopic labral repair/reconstruction, cam osteochondroplasty, and capsular plication. The mean follow-up period was 27.8 months after surgery.

Main outcome measures: Patient-reported outcome scales (PROSs), including the modified Harris Hip Score, Nonarthritic Hip Score, International Hip Outcome Tool 12, Hip Outcome Score-Sports, and Vail Hip Score.

Results: After ESA, all 15 elite athletes were able to return to sport effectively and compete at a preoperative level. The mean time between the operation and the first practice was 6.5 months, while the mean time between the ESA procedure and the first game was 9.6 months. Approximately 27.8 months after surgery, PROS outcomes improved significantly with no hips requiring emergency revision surgery at the final follow-up. At a mean of 47.1 months after surgery, 7 athletes decided to retire from their sport. Up to 71.1 months after surgery, the additional 8 patients continued to compete in their sport at an elite level.

Conclusions: ESA enables elite athletes with acetabular dysplasia to return to competition at a mean of 9.6 months postsurgery. The ESA procedure is an effective and promising method of treating elite athletes with acetabular dysplasia.

Level of evidence: IV.