What is the Newest Hip Replacement Procedure?

Hip replacement surgery can require months of recovery and rehabilitation. With over 300,00 individuals in the U.S. undergoing this type of surgery every year, it is about time a new procedure was introduced to enable patients to be back to their usual abilities within a shorter time frame.

Anterior hip replacement surgery is the newest procedure offered to patients. With just a one-week recovery time, there’s no question that this procedure is the preferred choice.

What Does the Hip Replacement Procedure Involve?

An anterior hip replacement reduces the recovery time for patients significantly by bypassing damage to the surrounding muscle tissue.

This surgery involves entering through the front of the body via a small incision to replace the hip bone.

There will be no detachment or damage to the essential muscles which aid hip mobility.

This is good news for patients who wish to return to normality as quickly as possible.

With the recovery time for this procedure being a mere seven days and not involving an overnight hospital stay, this procedure is often the obvious choice.

What are the Benefits of this Procedure?

Prior to the anterior hip replacement, orthopedic surgeons would usually use the lateral hip replacement as their first choice. The issue with the lateral hip replacement procedure is it has a long recovery time due to the tissue needing to be removed/detached from the gluteal, femur, or pelvic muscles. The anterior hip replacement will not touch any of these muscles, making it less painful for patients.

An anterior hip replacement allows the patient to get home and move around right away since there is a low risk of damaging tissues during the procedure. It also poses less risk for hip malfunction, enabling the patient to return to full mobility almost straight away!

Following an anterior hip replacement, the patient can begin to bend at the waste as soon as they feel comfortable. This prevents the hip from locking, promotes good flexibility, and encourages a great recovery.

What Challenges Does This Procedure Pose?

The anterior hip replacement is a new procedure, therefore physicians will not have as much experience performing this surgery as opposed to the lateral or posterior hip replacement.

The anterior hip replacement procedure can only be performed by the most advanced orthopedic surgeons due to the complexity of the surgery, meaning there may not be as many surgeons available to carry out the surgery.

There is a risk of complications with the wound as it heals, as well as nerve damage, like any surgery. These complications are very rare and risks are no higher when using the anterior hip replacement procedure as the chosen method.

Are There Any Requirements for this Procedure to be Performed?

There are no requirements as such if the patient is eligible for traditional hip replacement surgery.

However, it has been noted that if the patient is obese or very muscular the procedure may prove more difficult, the reason being that the extra tissue can become an issue when trying to access the hip bone.

In such cases, these patients would be more suitable for lateral hip replacement surgery as it is possible tissue would need to be removed.

Contact Us to Learn More About the Newest Hip Replacement Procedure

It is safe to say that all hip replacement surgeries are reasonably safe and effective. 

The anterior hip replacement provides a quicker and more comfortable recovery time, with the ability to be mobile a lot sooner. This type of recovery is very positive for the rehabilitation following hip replacement surgery and can have patients back to their usual selves in no time!