Articular capsule repair in initial artificial hip replacement via anterolateral approach to the hip joint

This study was carried out to explore articular capsule repair in first artificial hip replacement (AHR) via anterolateral approach and its influence on postoperative dislocation. A total of 292 patients who received AHR via anterolateral approach and had the articular capsule repaired in People’s Hospital of Zhengzhou (Henan, China) from February 2008 to February 2014 were selected and divided into total hip replacement (THR) group (group A1) and artificial femoral head replacement (AFHR) group (group A2). Five hundred and five cases in the control group treated using the same approach but receiving no articular capsule repair were divided into THR group (group B1) and AFHR group (group B2). Condition of postoperative dislocation was compared between the two groups. All cases were followed up for 6 months to 5 years (average: 3.75 years); it was noted that the difference in average age, gender, disease constitution and follow-up time in the two groups was not significant (P>0.05). Moreover, groups A1 and B1 were found with 1 case of early hip joint dislocation (0.73%) and 13 cases of hip joint dislocation (5.24%) respectively post-operatively, and the comparison between the two groups was statistically significant (P less than 0.05). One case of hip joint dislocation (0.65%) was found in group A2 and 5 cases (1.95%) in group B2 in early post operation and the difference between two groups had no statistical significance (P>0.05). Neither the repair group nor the control group developed late-onset dislocation after the operation. Thus, we can state that articular capsule repair is feasible during the first AHR via anterolateral approach, which decreases the occurrence of early hip joint dislocation after operation and proves that repairing articular capsule during AFHR via anterolateral approach is unnecessary.