Anterior, posterior approaches yielded similar functional outcomes after THA

NEW ORLEANS — Patients who underwent either anterior or posterior approaches during total hip arthroplasty experienced similar functional outcomes in the early postoperative period, according to results presented at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting.

Christopher Joyce, MD, and colleagues collected timed up-and-go, 30-second sit-to-stand and 4-meter walk test measurements, as well as the hip disability osteoarthritis outcome score (HOOS Jr.) among 62 patients who underwent THA with the anterior approach and 60 patients who underwent THA with the posterior approach.

Christopher Joyce

Although results showed no significant difference between each group preoperatively, Joyce noted the anterior group had significantly better 4-meter walk tests at 3 months postoperatively, as well as a trend toward more improvement in the HOOS Jr.

“The timed up-and-go and 30-second sit-to-stand had no significant difference between the two,” Joyce said in his presentation. “When looking at the improvement from preoperative to postoperative, there was no significant difference in any of these outcome measures.”

He added both groups had significant improvements in functional outcomes and patient-reported outcomes from preoperatively to 3-months postoperatively.

“Of note, the anterior group did have significantly more trochanteric fractures associated with it and there were no significant differences in dislocation, deep infection rate, wound complication rate and revision surgery rate,” Joyce said. – by Casey Tingle

Reference:

Joyce C, et al. Paper #152. Presented at: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting; March 6-10, 2018; New Orleans.

Disclosure: Joyce reports no relevant financial disclosures.