Trends in Utilization and Outcomes of Hip Arthroscopy in the United States Between 2005 and 2013

The utilization of hip arthroscopy continues to increase in the United States. The purpose of this study was to examine trends in hip arthroscopy procedures and outcomes.

We performed a retrospective cohort study using Optum Labs Data Warehouse administrative claims data. The cohort comprised 10,042 privately insured enrollees aged 18-64 years who underwent a hip arthroscopy procedure between 2005 and 2013. Utilization trends were examined using age-specific, sex-specific, and calendar-year-specific hip arthroscopy rates. Outcomes were examined using the survival analysis methods and included subsequent hip arthroscopy and total hip arthroplasty (THA).

Hip arthroscopy rates increased significantly over time from 3.6 per 100,000 in 2005 to 16.7 per 100,000 in 2013. The overall 2-year cumulative incidence of subsequent hip arthroscopy and THA was 11% and 10%, respectively. In the subset of patients in whom laterality of the subsequent procedure could be determined, about half of the subsequent hip arthroscopy procedures (46%) and almost all of the THA procedures (94%) were on the same side. Decreasing age was significantly associated with the risk of subsequent arthroscopy (P < .01), whereas increasing age was significantly associated with the subsequent risk of THA (P < .01). The 5-year cumulative incidence of THA reached as high as 35% among individuals aged 55-64 years.

The utilization of hip arthroscopy procedures increased dramatically over the last decade in the 18-64-year-old privately insured population, with the largest increase in younger age-groups. Future studies are warranted to understand the determinants of the large increase in utilization of hip arthroscopy and outcomes.