Hip Arthroscopic surgery accesses the hip joint through ¼ inch incisions. Arthroscopic knee surgery was pioneered in Japan by Dr. Watanabe and brought to North America by Dr. Robert Jackson. Hip arthroscopy uses similar instruments to knee arthroscopy. Just as arthroscopic knee surgery recovery speeded patient’s return to their active lives, hip arthroscopy similarily impacted lives. Arthroscopic surgery allows the surgeon a more complete view of the hip joint that leads to better diagnosis and better treatment because the hip joint is located deep within the body covered by muscle and sinew. Traditional surgery had to cut through this tissue to surgically treat the hip.

Many new conditions have been recognized and treated since the advent of hip arthroscopy. Cartilage tears, bony build up, damage to the articular cartilage, tendonitis, and arthritis all can be relieved with this minimally invasive technique. Because of the small incisions and the ability to reach small recesses of the hip, arthroscopic hip surgery recovery is less painful, returning patients to activities or work faster than traditional surgery through a larger incision.

Experts from medicine, public health, and the sports have named arthroscopic surgery one of the most significant medical advances of the 20th century. As with shoulder arthroscopy, elbow arthroscopy, ankle arthroscopy, and knee arthroscopy, specialists devote their entire career to the advancement of hip arthroscopy.

The Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA) and its publication The Journal of Arthroscopy and Arthroscopic Related Research are devoted to the advancement of Arthroscopy. Specialists who advance the art and science of hip arthroscopy can be identified on this site.