Anterior Approach to Hip Replacement
Orthopedic/Knee Surgery
Modified Date: 2024-12-09
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Anterior Approach to Hip Replacement
In the past, traditional hip replacement required a surgeon to cut through muscles at the back of the hip in order to facilitate the removal of a damaged hip joint and insertion of a prosthetic joint. However, such an approach often left patients dealing with long, painful recoveries. An anterior, or front of the hip approach focuses on gently moving muscles to the side rather than cutting through them. This approach not only offers faster and less painful healing and recovery, but also preserves a normal and active lifestyle pursuits.
Maintaining muscle integrity is the focus of the anterior hip replacement approach. With nearly a quarter of a million aging baby boomers considering the need for hip replacements every year, orthopedic surgeons have continually sought surgical methods that help preserve increasingly active lifestyles for seniors, rather than curtailing them.
Major differences between traditional and anterior approach hip replacement
In a traditional hip replacement procedure, an incision may range between eight and 10 inches. Hospital stays averaged between five and seven days, and recovery time averages 12 weeks, depending on overall health and wellness of the patient.
In the newer anterior approach, the incision size range is between three and five inches and the hospital stay averages two to three days. Recovery time is cut in half, if not more, ranging between two to six weeks, again depending on the health, wellness, and former activity level of the patient.
The anterior approach offers a less invasive approach from the front of the hip joint, as opposed to the traditional back (posterior) or side (lateral) approach. With the anterior approach, the hip joint is replaced through muscular intervals (think of them as bands), rather than cutting and moving muscle strands and tissues. Using the anterior approach, the gluteal muscles which attach the sides and back of the pelvis and femur are undisturbed. The muscular integrity of these side and back or lateral and posterior muscular tissues give the hip its stability. Preserving their integrity reduces the risk of dislocation.
In hip replacement patients undergoing traditional hip replacement, future hip range of motion is limited to 60°, which may interfere with daily living activities, including sitting. When using the anterior approach, patients maintain flexibility and range of motion in the hip.
Best candidates for anterior approach hip replacement surgery
In most cases, patients diagnosed with severe arthritis of the hip are excellent candidates for anterior total hip replacement procedures. Other candidates may be those who have had a previous hip replacement procedure that is causing pain or severe limitations in mobility individuals diagnosed with severe hip dysplasia.
Maintaining muscle integrity also helps to reduce the risk of future dislocations. The anterior approach hip replacement procedure has gained popularity because of its many benefits, even with larger and heavier patients. The anterior approach also offers incisions closer to the hip joint, so more patients may be candidates for the procedure.
The bottom line is that in anterior approach to hip replacement not only promotes faster recovery, reduces pain, but also improves mobility after surgery. The tissue-sparing alternative maintains muscle tissue structure and stability, allowing surgeons to literally work between muscles without detaching them from the femur or the hip, or cutting them.
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