Arthroscopic Treatment of Femoroacetabular Impingement

Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is condition that occurs commonly in young adults and middle age that causes hip pain felt mostly in the groin. X-rays often appear "normal" to the untrained observer, however, on careful analysis an anterior to lateral bump may be visualized at the head neck junction as an extension of the physeal line. 26 Reinhold Ganz with the Bern Hip Group have developed an outstanding open technique using a safe surgical dislocation of the hip to alleviate FAI. 2,14 An arthroscopic equivalent of the open technique has been developed and performed for 22 months and will be described. 21 The early results are favorable and may be comparable to the open technique.