Editorial Commentary: Prolonged Joint Effusion After Hip Arthroscopy May Be Associated With Persistent Symptoms

Research to investigate causes for continued symptoms in patients who undergo hip arthroscopic treatment is an opportunity to improve outcomes. A disconcertingly large number of patients (47%-66%) show a joint effusion/synovitis on magnetic resonance imaging at 6 to 12 months after hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement syndrome, and a recent study shows that this is associated with inferior 2-year clinical outcomes compared to patients without effusions. Perhaps the effusions are associated with comorbid structural abnormalities such as cartilage degeneration, capsule defect, labral reinjury, adhesions, or microinstability/hyperlaxity. In theory, interventions to treat the effusion, such as intra-articular injections or anti-inflammatory medications (which also prophylax against heterotopic ossification), will produce sustained clinical improvement.