Understanding Hip Surgical Approaches: A Review With Clinical and Imaging Correlation

Hip surgery is evolving rapidly, with an increasing diversity of techniques across arthroplasty and arthroscopy. This diversity presents challenges not only to radiologists interpreting postoperative imaging but also to general clinicians assessing surgical outcomes. A clear understanding of the various surgical approaches, their anatomical pathways, and associated complications is essential for multidisciplinary care. This review summarizes the key surgical access routes used in hip procedures, outlines their technical features, and highlights relevant postoperative findings, including potential nerve and soft tissue complications. The goal is to provide clinicians, surgeons, and imaging specialists with a unified understanding of modern hip surgical access and its implications for patient evaluation.