Surgical approach for total hip doesn’t affect outcome

Editor's Note

The surgical approach to total hip (ie, anterior or posterior) has no effect on outcomes at 6 months after surgery, finds this study presented March 3 at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Of 274 patients who had total hip replacements between June 2012 and August 2014 with a surgeon who either exclusively performed an anterior approach or a surgeon who exclusively performed a posterior approach there were no significant differences in pre- and postsurgical pain, function in daily living, function in sports and recreation, or hip-related quality of life.

Traditionally, most total hips have been done through a posterior approach, but more recently the anterior approach has gained popularity. However, there has been conflicting information on which approach resulted in the best outcomes.

Anterior versus posterior: Does surgical approach impact hip replacement outcomes? ORLANDO, Fla.-The surgical approach to total hip replacement (THR)-either from the front of the body or the side/back (anterior versus posterior)-has no impact on outcomes six months after surgery, according to research presented today at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).