Capsular impingement as a source of pain following bipolar hip arthroplasty.

Concerns regarding the extent and predictability of pain relief with bipolar hemiarthroplasty have been raised. Inconsistent clinical results have been reported, with persistent postoperative groin pain noted in some patients. A diverse number of bipolar operative techniques have been reported, but discussion of the surgical treatment of capsular tissue has usually been omitted. Although the source of postoperative pain is difficult to determine, the authors report the relief of groin pain after a capsulectomy in a patient with a preexisting bipolar hemiarthroplasty, thus offering one possible etiology.