Arthroscopy is a surgical technique used to perform procedures on joints. One or more small incisions are made, and a camera and light are inserted to allow the surgeon to view the inside of the joint. Using specially designed surgical instruments, the procedure is performed through these small incisions.

Arthroscopy can be used on various joints throughout the body, including the hip. Several common hip procedures can be performed arthroscopically, offering quicker recovery and less scarring compared to open procedures, which require larger incisions for direct visualization of the joint.

One common procedure performed arthroscopically is the repair of a labral tear. The hip is a ball-and-socket joint, and the labrum is a ring of connective tissue that surrounds the socket. Labral tears can result from injury or weakening over time. These tears are very common, occurring in more than 40% of all hips, but they do not always cause symptoms. When symptoms such as hip pain, stiffness, or reduced range of motion occur, arthroscopic labral repair can help relieve them.

Another common issue with the hip is a cam deformity, also known as a cam lesion. The ball at the top of the femur (thigh bone) is normally round to fit smoothly into the acetabulum (the socket on the pelvis). A cam deformity causes the femur to have an abnormal shape, making it less than perfectly round. This can lead to the femur scraping against the acetabulum during movement. Cam deformities are also common, occurring in more than 30% of all hips, though they do not always produce symptoms.

When symptoms of a cam lesion occur, femoroplasty can be performed to relieve them. This procedure reshapes the upper part of the femur to allow it to move more smoothly in its socket. Femoroplasty can be performed arthroscopically. It is common for a cam lesion to occur alongside a labral tear, and both issues can be addressed in the same arthroscopic procedure.