ObjectiveTo investigate the early effectiveness of arthroscope for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI). MethodsBetween February 2012 and June 2014, 17 patients (17 hips) with FAI were treated under arthroscope. Of 17 patients, 12 were male and 5 were female, aged 18-60 years (mean, 37.2 years); 9 left hips and 8 right hips were involved. All patients had pain in groin for 12-24 months (mean, 15 months), no limited activity of the hip and obvious provocative pain in full flexion and internal rotation. The results of impingement test and the Faber test were all positive. According to X-ray examination, 8 cases were at early stage, 8 cases at middle stage, and 1 case at late stage; according to anatomical morphology, 6 cases were rated as cam-type impingement, 3 cases as pincer-type impingement, and 8 cases as mixed type. Based on impingement type, arthroscopic femoroplasty, arthroscopic acetabuloplasty, and a combination of arthroscopic femoroplasty and acetabuloplasty were performed on 6, 3, and 8 patients respectively. ResultsPrimary healing of incision was obtained. One patient had numbness in the lateral thigh, and symptom disappeared after 2 weeks. All cases were followed up 1-2 years (mean, 1.3 years). All patients obtained obvious hip pain relief. The postoperative Harris scores were significantly increased to 91.44±1.98 at 6 weeks, 95.83±0.53 at 3 months, and 95.33±2.43 at 1 year from preoperative 79.01±3.20(P＜0.05), and the scores at 3 months and at 1 year were significantly higher than that at 6 weeks (P＜0.05), but there was no significant difference between at 3 months and at 1 year (P>0.05). ConclusionArthroscope treatment of FAI can obviously relief hip pain. The key points for acquiring satisfactory early effectiveness are definite diagnosis, early detection, and minimally invasive treatment.