Direct anterior approach for hip resurfacing: surgical technique and complications

The direct anterior approach (DAA) for hip resurfacing arthroplasty is a technically difficult approach but theoretically reduces the soft tissue trauma to the hip because it does not require muscle detachments from the bone. Furthermore, the patient is in the supine position facilitating fluoroscopy to control component placement. However, the complications associated with the learning curve and functional outcome scores are not well defined in the literature.

We therefore asked how our first 57 operations using the anterior approach and special table extension compared with that in the literature with regard to (1) complication rate; (2) functional outcome scores; (3) component placement; and (4) length of stay.

We retrospectively reviewed 51 patients who underwent 57 hip resurfacing procedures using a DAA. There were 45 men and six women with an average age of 51 years (range, 31-63 years) and a body mass index of 28.7 kg/m(2) (range, 19.7-42.0 kg/m(2)). The minimum followup was 0.3 months (mean, 8.7 months; range, 0.3-24.9 months).

There were three atraumatic (5%) and one posttraumatic (1.8%) femoral neck fractures. Average HOOS scores were equal to or better than averages reported for total hip arthroplasty. Average cup inclination was 36.5° (range, 25°-48°). The average length of stay was 2.11 days (range, 1-4 days).

The surgical approach for anterior hip resurfacing is technically difficult but may have some clinical benefits. Surgeons interested in using the DAA for hip resurfacing should be very familiar with the DAA for total hip arthroplasty and with hip resurfacing.