Hip arthroscopy for the management of trauma: a literature review.

The first descriptions of the use of hip arthroscopy for traumatic injuries were presented in 1980. One paper described arthroscopy for the removal of a bullet fragment while others reported using hip arthroscopy to remove fragments following total hip arthroplasty. With the application of traction and modification of arthroscopic instruments, hip arthroscopy has become a useful tool in treating trauma to the hip. Most of the literature describes traumatic hip dislocation. Several studies have documented the successful use of arthroscopy for removal of loose bodies, but it has also been used to treat labral tears, chondral defects and acetabular rim fractures. Complications reported include fluid extravasation, the lowering of the patient's body temperature using cool saline irrigation and further injury due to unrecognized concomitant pathology.