Arthroscopy The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery · IF 4.4 · September 6, 2026 · LoE III
Segmental and Circumferential Hip Labral Reconstructions Both Show Favorable Outcomes in Primary Hip Arthroscopy: A Systematic Review
Fernando Gómez-Verdejo, Juan Bernardo Villarreal‐Espinosa, Tomas F. Vega, Andrew S. Bi, Lord J. Hyeamang, Michael J. Murray, Jonathan Spaan, Jorge Chahla — Rush University Medical Center
This systematic review pooled 9 studies (13 cohorts, 371 hips) of primary hip labral reconstruction, comparing segmental (partial labral replacement) versus circumferential (full labral replacement) techniques for irreparable labral tears. Both techniques showed favorable patient-reported outcomes at midterm follow-up (postoperative modified Harris Hip Score 75.6-89.0 for segmental vs 83.6-87.8 for circumferential; iHOT-12 63.9-76.7 vs 73.6-79.5), with revision/THA conversion rates ranging 0-20% for segmental and 0-5.4% for circumferential cohorts, but only one study directly compared the two approaches head-to-head.
AI summary · from the full text · reviewed by Pukhraj Gaheer, Medical Student, Queen's University before publishing
Why it mattersHip arthroscopists frequently must choose between segmental and circumferential labral reconstruction when a labrum is unsalvageable, and this review highlights that the choice currently rests on limited, non-comparative, low-level evidence rather than proven superiority of either technique.
Conclusion strengthInconclusive
Two or more critical methodological failures for a review.
Presenting this at rounds? Start here
- ?When a labrum is deemed irreparable intraoperatively, how should surgeons decide between preserving remaining healthy tissue with segmental reconstruction versus performing a full circumferential reconstruction?
- ?Given the higher failure rate seen with allograft segmental reconstruction in one cohort, should graft type (autograft vs allograft) influence the choice of segmental versus circumferential technique in individual patients?