Anterior Hip Replacement
What is Anterior Hip Replacement Surgery?
Direct anterior hip replacement surgery is a minimally invasive procedure where the hip surgeon replaces the hip joint without cutting through any muscles or tendons.
Anterior Hip Replacement Procedure
Traditional hip replacement involves cutting major muscles to access the hip joint. As a minimally invasive procedure, direct anterior hip replacement surgery does not.
- Your anterior hip surgeon makes an incision about four inches long on the front of the hip.
- Your anterior hip surgeon will gently push the muscles to the side, giving them room to access to the joint.
- Your anterior hip surgeon will separate the femur from the acetabular socket, then prepare the acetabular surface with a special instrument called a reamer. Next, your hip surgeon will cement or fix the acetabular component into the socket, then place a plastic or ceramic liner into the acetabular component. Your hip surgeon will remove the worn-out femoral head and prepare the femur so that the new component fits the bone properly. Next, your hip surgeon will insert the new femoral component into the femur using a press fit or special bone cement, then place the femoral head component onto the femoral stem. Finally, your hip surgeon will remove the instruments and close the incisions with sutures.
Post-operative Care for Anterior Hip Replacement
The risk of dislocation is very low after anterior hip replacement surgery. However, you will need to follow simple instructions for six weeks:
- Avoid overextending the hip joint, and rotating or rolling your foot out
- Take medications as prescribed to relieve pain and prevent infection
- Participate in physical therapy to restore hip function and strength
- Eat a healthy diet and do not smoke to facilitate healing and promote a faster recovery
- Contact your doctor if you observe increasing swelling or redness in the operated area
Advantages of Anterior Hip Replacement
Anterior hip replacement surgery can be a life-changing procedure for eliminating pain and discomfort, improving mobility, and increasing overall quality of life. Additionally, there are many advantages when choosing minimally invasive anterior hip replacement procedure.
- Smaller incisions
- Shorter operative time
- Minimal blood loss
- Short hospital stay
- Less postoperative pain
- Minimal soft-tissue trauma
- Less scarring
- Quicker recovery
- Early mobilization
- Less postoperative restrictions
- Quicker return to normal activities
- Lower risk of dislocation
What to Know about Anterior Hip Replacement
As a minimally invasive procedure, anterior hip replacement involves significantly fewer incisions than a traditional hip surgery. However, all surgeries have some risk. While complications with anterior hip replacement are rare, we believe in educating our patients on potential complications:
- Infection at the incision site or joint space
- Fracture
- Nerve damage
- Hemarthrosis - excess bleeding into the joint after the surgery
- Deep vein thrombosis (blood clot)
- Leg length inequality
Schedule an Appointment
If you wish to be advised on the most appropriate treatment, please call to schedule an appointment or click to request an appointment online.