FRIDAY, June 3, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Minimally invasive hip surgery may not always be the best option to relieve serious, ongoing hip pain, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that more than one-third of people in their 60s who had the minimally invasive procedure — known as hip arthroscopy — ended up needing a hip replacement within two years.

Hip arthroscopy relies on small incisions around the hip to allow for the insertion of a tiny camera, as well as surgical tools, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).



Hip arthroscopy can be used to treat a number of painful conditions, the AAOS says.

For example, the procedure can be used to repair torn cartilage or remove extra bone that occurs in the very earliest stages of osteoarthritis, explained Dr. Stuart Weinstein.

“Hip arthroscopy has been an amazing development and has helped many patients with hip disorders,” said Weinstein, chair and professor of orthopaedic surgery at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. He wasn’t part of the current study team.

The use of hip arthroscopy has skyrocketed. Between 2006 and 2010, the estimated use of this surgical procedure increased by 600 percent, the study authors said.