Hip replacement surgery, also called total hip arthroplasty, involves removing a diseased hip joint and replacing it with an artificial joint, called a prosthesis. Hip replacement is typically used for people with hip joint damage from arthritis or an injury. Followed by rehabilitation, hip replacement can relieve pain and restore range of motion and function of the hip joint.
Of the various hip replacement surgery techniques, the Anterior Approach muscle-sparing total hip replacement is one of the most minimally invasive and least painful approaches. “The Anterior Approach is a less painful approach with a quicker recovery time,” said Ashish Sahai, M.D., one of the Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeons who perform this technique at Van Diest Medical Center.
The Anterior Approach allows the surgeon to reach the hip joint from the front of the hip, as opposed to the posterior (back) approach. In this approach, the hip can be replaced without detachment of muscle from the pelvis or femur during surgery. The surgeon can simply work through the natural interval between the muscles. The most important muscles for hip function – the gluteal muscles that attach to the pelvis and femur – are left undisturbed and therefore do not require a healing process.
Patient recovery time is also improved using the Anterior Approach. Patients can immediately bend their hip freely and can generally avoid common precautions or restrictions that are associated with the posterior approach, resulting in a more rapid return to normal function, according to Dr. Sahai. Other potential advantages (as opposed to traditional surgery) include a shorter hospital stay, less muscle trauma, a smaller incision, and reduced risk of discoloration.
A special surgical table aids the surgeon in minimizing trauma under the skin with precise patient positioning not possible with conventional tables. The technologically advanced hana® table is used by the surgeons at Van Diest Medical Center to perform anterior hip replacements. The patient’s leg is extended downward to allow frontal access to the hip with minimum tissue damage. It also allows for X-ray imaging during surgery to more accurately control implant placement and leg length.
For more information about the Anterior Approach in hip replacement at Van Diest Medical Center, call the Specialty Clinic Department at 515-832-7746 or contact the Orthopedic Nurse Coordinator at 515-832-7771. If the Nurse Coordinator is not available, please leave a message with a phone number and she will return the call. |
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