Optimally invasive exposure in revision total hip arthroplasty: a guide to selection and technique

Revision total hip arthroplasty requires a careful surgical plan. Selection of the appropriate exposure is an essential step for success. Exposure is important not only for the complete and safe visualization and extraction of components and cement, but also for the achievement of a stable construct at the end of the procedure. In addition, controlled exposure minimizes intraoperative complications and bone and soft-tissue damage, essential considerations for eradication of infection. Three questions need to be addressed at the preoperative stage: (1) Is this a straightforward revision that can be handled with a standard approach? (2) Is this a more complex revision requiring an extensile exposure? (3) Is this an unusual revision requiring special techniques to allow adequate access that cannot be obtained using standard extensile techniques? Each group of exposures presents three further possibilities, each of which has specific indications, advantages, and disadvantages. In conjunction with the preoperative analysis, this knowledge should enable the revision surgeon to select the most appropriate approach, resulting in optimal exposure for each individual revision scenario.