Anterior and Posterior Hip Replacements: A Comparison

Hip replacement is among the most common orthopedic surgeries. More than 500,000 are performed annually in the United States. If you require a hip replacement, you may be offered two different types of hip replacement surgical approaches: anterior and posterior. You may be a candidate for hip replacement if you are experiencing:

• Hip or groin pain that limits your daily activities
• Hip pain that makes it hard to get in and out of chairs
• Hip pain that keeps you awake at night
• Hip pain that doesn’t improve with other treatments, like injections, braces, or exercises

Any of these conditions may call for surgery, and the Orthopedic Performance Institute practices two techniques:

Posterior Hip Replacement

With this technique, the surgeon makes incisions in the back of the hip. Muscles and ligaments are separated to gain access to the hip bone. Dating back to the 1950s and even before, it is the traditional and most common method for hip replacement.

It may be the only option for these patients:

• Patients who are obese
• Patients who have certain medical conditions such as severe arthritis
• Patients who have had previous hip surgeries

Anterior Hip Replacement

The Orthopedic Performance Institute offers the anterior technique that can offer benefits not available with traditional hip replacement surgery. Since this surgery is more technically demanding, OPI is one of the area’s leading practitioners of the technique.

With anterior surgery, the surgeon approaches the hip bone from the front. It is known as “muscle-sparing” surgery because it does not require cutting of muscles. Because there is less muscle trauma, patients experience less postoperative pain and a faster recover time.

To qualify for the anterior hip replacement surgery, candidates must:

• Be in generally good health
• Maintain an average weight with less muscle mass and fat in the thigh area
• Be mobile, active and independent before surgery
• Have a good support system at home

The anterior hip replacement technique has fewer restrictions on mobility and activities than traditional hip surgery. Patients can immediately use their hip, allowing it to bear their total weight (as long as it’s not uncomfortable) and are allowed to bend it freely. This results in a faster resumption of their normal daily activities.

Recent advancements in surgical technique, instrumentation and patient selection have made anterior hip replacement a preferred option for qualifying patients who require total hip replacement. If performed by an experienced surgeon on the properly selected patient, an anterior hip replacement can result in a rapid recovery during the weeks after surgery.

Dr. Christopher Phelps

“I like to perform the anterior technique on hip replacement patients when possible because the patient experience is dramatically better. They recover quicker and have less pain,” says orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Christopher Phelps.

Don’t let hip pain take you away from your active lifestyle. Contact the Orthopedic Performance Institute in San Antonio to consult with the experts!