Eighty-One Percent of Unrepaired Interportal Capsulotomies Showed Healed Capsules on Magnetic Resonance Imaging 5 Years After Primary Hip Arthroscopy.

Purpose: To evaluate whether unrepaired interportal capsulotomy presents with capsular defect on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) 5 years after primary hip arthroscopy and to determine its effect on functional results and findings of osteoarthritis on radiographs or MRI scans. Methods: Patients with femoroacetabular impingement (without arthritis or dysplasia) were retrospectively reviewed after arthroscopic labral repair or debridement and femoroplasty through interportal capsulotomy without closure. Patients were assessed preoperatively and at a minimum of 5 years postoperatively using patient-reported outcomes (Hip Outcome Score-Activities of Daily Living scale, modified Harris Hip Score, and visual analog scale pain score), radiographic measures, and MRI scans. Results: Forty patients (42 hips) were deemed eligible for the study and were evaluated. Of the hips, 81% had healed capsules, whereas 8 (19%) had capsular defects on the latest MRI scan. There were 3 hips with subchondral edema in the defect group compared with 1 in the healed-capsule group ( Conclusions: In this study, 81% of interportal capsulotomies healed without repair at 5 years after primary hip arthroscopy. Clinical Relevance: Understanding the prevalence and implications of unhealed capsulotomies could encourage surgeons to be meticulous in capsular closure.