Hip Arthroscopy

Hip arthroscopy is keyhole surgery inside the hip joint. Through two or three small incisions the surgeon repairs a torn labrum, the cartilage rim of the socket, and reshapes bone that pinches it, a condition called femoroacetabular impingement (FAI).

In young and middle-aged adults with FAI it reduces groin pain and improves function more than physiotherapy alone in trials. It does not help hips that already have established arthritis, and it has not been proven to prevent arthritis later.

What Hip Arthroscopy involves

Diagnosis rests on examination, X-rays that show cam or pincer bone shapes, and MRI or MR arthrogram for the labrum; a pain-relieving test injection into the joint often confirms the source. In theatre you lie on a traction table and the leg is pulled gently to open the joint by about a centimetre. Under X-ray control, a camera and instruments enter through portals at the front and side of the hip. The torn labrum is reattached to the socket rim with small suture anchors, or trimmed if it cannot be repaired. A burr shaves the bump on the femoral neck (cam) or the overhanging socket edge (pincer), and the hip is moved on the table to check that impingement has gone. Loose bodies are removed, damaged cartilage is tidied, and the capsule is usually closed.

Who is a good candidate for Hip Arthroscopy?

The best results are in people with mechanical symptoms, a clear structural cause and well preserved joint space.

• Groin pain with sitting, twisting or sport for more than 3 to 6 months despite physiotherapy
• Cam or pincer impingement with a labral tear on imaging
• Joint space of more than 2 millimetres on X-ray
• Loose bodies or synovial conditions in the hip
• Typically aged from late teens to around 50

It is usually not the right choice if:

• Moderate or advanced osteoarthritis, where hip replacement is the reliable answer
• Significant hip dysplasia, which needs a bone realignment operation instead
• Pain from the spine, hernia or tendons around the hip
• People unable to commit to several months of rehabilitation

Technique options

• Labral repair: Preferred to removal whenever tissue quality allows.
• Cam and pincer osteoplasty: Reshaping the femoral neck or socket rim to stop the pinch.
• Labral reconstruction: Graft used when the labrum is beyond repair, often in revisions.
• Capsular closure: Reduces the risk of instability, especially in flexible patients.

What happens during your treatment

The operation takes 1.5 to 2.5 hours under general or spinal anaesthesia. It is usually a day case or one night. You wake with a bulky dressing, sometimes a brace, and numbness around the groin or foot from traction that normally fades in days. Crutches are fitted before you leave.

Preparing for your trip

Plan for 7 to 10 days in Istanbul. Your surgeon reviews photographs and your medical history before you book, and you meet in person the day before surgery for examination, marking and consent with a professional interpreter.

• Stop smoking and nicotine at least four weeks before and after surgery; it is the single biggest avoidable cause of wound problems
• Tell the team about every medicine and supplement you take; blood thinners, some herbal products and hormone treatment may need to be paused on your doctor's advice
• Arrange for someone to travel with you or to be reachable, and keep the first days at home free of work and lifting
• Book a changeable return flight; your surgeon confirms when you are fit to fly

Recovery and results

You use crutches with partial weight bearing for 2 to 4 weeks, longer if cartilage was treated. A stationary bike without resistance starts within days. Desk work resumes at 1 to 2 weeks, driving at 3 to 4 weeks. Running begins around 3 months and pivoting sport at 4 to 6 months. Improvement continues for up to a year, so a structured physiotherapy plan at home is essential.

• Back to everyday activity: 2 to 4 weeks on crutches
• When results show: 3 to 6 months
• How long they last: Durable if cartilage is healthy

Safety, risks and revision policy

Complication rates are low, and most are temporary effects of traction.

• Numbness of the groin, genitals or outer thigh from traction or portal placement, usually temporary
• Persistent pain, particularly if early arthritis was present
• Heterotopic bone formation around the joint; anti-inflammatories are often given to prevent it
• Deep vein thrombosis
• Femoral neck fracture or instability if too much bone or capsule is removed, rare
• Later conversion to hip replacement, more likely over age 45 to 50

Every written proposal arranged through Clinic-Y states what the clinic covers if a correction is needed. Ask for it before you book, not after.

Cost of Hip Arthroscopy in Türkiye

Clinic-Y does not publish a single price for Hip Arthroscopy, because the honest figure depends on your case. What moves it:

• Number of suture anchors and whether a graft is used
• MR arthrogram and diagnostic injection beforehand
• Surgeon subspecialty experience
• Brace, crutches and physiotherapy sessions

Send your photographs or reports and you receive written, all-inclusive proposals from suitable teams, side by side. Reviewing your case is free.

Frequently Asked Questions