Choosing the surgical technique for hip replacement: What’s the best option?

Sep 26, 2023 | Blog

Total hip replacement was named the surgery of the century by the renowned scientific journal Lancet in 2007. Despite this success, no consensus exists on the best surgical approach (anterior, lateral, or posterior). The posterior approach is the most used worldwide. However, in recent years, orthopedic implant manufacturers and some surgeons have marketed the anterior approach intensively, giving the impression that this technique is superior. Choosing a surgeon over a surgical technique is crucial to success.
Anterior Posterior However, recent scientific literature does not confirm the superiority of the anterior approach over other approaches. On the contrary, several studies have reported that the anterior approach is associated with a higher risk of complications1: more significant blood loss, fractures, nerve damage, infections, wound healing problems, and longer surgery time. Above all, some studies have reported inferior clinical results compared to the posterior approach.1 The popularity of the anterior approach in recent years is, therefore, beginning to wane.
In an era when it’s easy to find information but challenging to validate, it’s vital to have an experienced professional who can provide the scientific information appropriate to your condition. Unfortunately, a trendy new technique is no guarantee of success. Whatever the surgical approach, the surgeon’s and his or her team’s experience and excellence remain essential in achieving safer surgery with the best possible results. Over the years and after thousands of procedures, your expert surgeon at Clinique Duval has modified and improved their technique to deliver exceptional care. It is possible not to cut muscles with both posterior and anterior approaches.

Clinique Duval surgeons use the posterior approach to enable their patients to regain a usual, pain-free quality of life. The distinguishing features of their practice are:

  • A subspecialized practice in hip replacement and years of experience as a teacher and researcher in the field.
  • An optimized care protocol that minimizes postoperative pain and maximizes recovery speed. Most of our patients do not take any opioids after surgery. This protocol’s recovery speed is very rapid, whatever the surgical approach.
  • Expertise in the use of large-diameter joint implants, offering maximum joint mobility while limiting the risk of instability. No movement restrictions are imposed after surgery.
  • A short skin incision and careful closure, without staples but rather with skin glue.

Clinique Duval surgeons have demonstrated in award-winning scientific studies2,3,4 that a modern (minimally invasive) posterior approach combined with the elements described above is the solution of choice for patients wishing to maximize their recovery after surgery and minimize the risk of complications such as dislocation (1 in 1000 chance). Choosing Clinique Duval is a guarantee of quality.

You can rely on our team.

References
1- Awad ME, Farley BJ, Mostafa G, Darwiche HF, Saleh KJ. The risk of hospital readmission, revision, and intra- and postoperative complications between direct anterior versus posterior approaches in primary total hip arthroplasty: a stratified meta-analysis and a probability based cost projection. HIP International. 2023;33(3):442-462. doi:10.1177/11207000211066454
2- Lavigne M, Therrien M, Nantel J, Roy A, Prince F, Vendittoli PA. The John Charnley Award: The functional outcome of hip resurfacing and large-head THA is the same: a randomized, double-blind study. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2010 Feb;468(2):326-36. doi: 10.1007/s11999-009-0938-z. Epub 2009 Jun 20. PMID: 19543863; PMCID: PMC2807020.
3- Vendittoli PA, Martinov S, Morcos MW, Sivaloganathan S, Blakeney WG. Personalized Hip Joint Replacement with Large Diameter Head: Current Concepts. J Clin Med. 2022 Mar 30;11(7):1918. doi: 10.3390/jcm11071918. PMID: 35407525; PMCID: PMC9000212.
4- Sivaloganathan S, Blakeney WG, Vendittoli PA. Modernizing Total Hip Arthroplasty Perioperative Pathways: The Implementation of ERAS-Outpatient Protocol. J Clin Med. 2022 Jun 8;11(12):3293. doi: 10.3390/jcm11123293. PMID: 35743363; PMCID: PMC9224899.