What is an anterior hip replacement?
An anterior hip replacement is a surgery performed from in front of the hip, as opposed to from the side or back of the hip.
Anterior hip replacements have been around since about 1980. Over the years, as doctors have gained access to new technology, anterior hip replacements have become more and more popular.
Patients tend to prefer this type of hip replacement over others for good reason. Anterior hip replacements offer advantages such as:
- Speedier recovery
- Lower postoperative pain
- Lower risk of hip dislocation after surgery
- Less muscle and tendon damage
- Better postoperative range of motion
Another advantage of anterior hip replacement is that Dr. Johnson can perform this minimally invasive surgery as an outpatient procedure so that you can go home the same day.
What happens during an anterior hip replacement?
During an anterior hip replacement, Dr. Johnson and his team start by administering anesthesia. Then, Dr. Johnson cleans and sterilizes the front of your hip and the area surrounding it, and covers it with sterile drapes to protect it. The procedure itself involves:
Bone removal & artificial bone placement
Dr. Johnson incises and natural soft tissue plane on the upper outer part of your thigh. The hip joint is entered from the anterior aspect, your arthritic hip is visualized, and special techniques are used to cut the femoral neck under guidance and remove the femoral head. Preparation of the hip socket with reamers and then placement of the socket side of the hip replacement using a prosthetic acetabular shell is performed under x-ray control. The femoral side of the hip replacement is easily accessible using the special table elevator. The femoral side of the hip is then exposed, and broaches are used to create a channel to press-fit the final femoral stem component. Before the final placement of all hip components, fluoroscopic images are merged from right to left across the pelvis, and an anatomically correct view of the whole pelvis is created in computer-generated imagery to verify the correct position of components and ensure the correct hip replacement position. Wounds are then irrigated and closed using suture repair.
Final check
Before he closes the incision, Dr. Johnson double-checks to make sure that everything is in the right place and that your legs are the same length. Once he’s confident in this, he stitches you up and sends you to the recovery room. General hospital stay is overnight, and ambulation full weight-bearing begins as soon as possible.
Recovery
After your procedure is over, you wait in the recovery room for a few hours until your anesthesia wears off. Make sure that you bring someone along who can drive you home. After a day or so, you can get around using crutches or a walker.
To regain your mobility and strength, you’ll most likely need physical and occupational therapy. Expect to be back to normal in four to six weeks, and back to work within one to three months.
Technology is moving science and medicine forward. If you need a hip replacement, take advantage of that progress and find out if an anterior hip replacement is right for you. To schedule your appointment with Dr. Johnson, call or use the online booking tool today.
