Direct Anterior Approach in Total Hip Arthroplasty

Abstract

Background: For end-stage hip arthritis, total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a commonly used surgical method that significantly reduces pain and increases range of motion. The direct anterior approach (DAA) has become more well-liked because of its possible advantages, which include shorter recovery times, less soft tissue damage, and decreased blood loss. The aim of this study was to evaluate DAA's effects in THA. The study investigated the results of THA using the straight anterior approach.

Method: A study with a retrospective cohort was carried out. There were 200 patients in all who had THA with DAA. Patients with diagnoses of THA-requiring diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, or avascular necrosis, who were at least eighteen years old, met the inclusion criteria. Individuals with serious comorbidities or history of hip surgery were not accepted. SPSS version 25.0 was used to gather and analyse data on patient features, intra-operative variables, and post-operative outcomes.

Results: 55% of the participants were male and 45% were female, with a mean age of 65.3 ± 8.7 years. The most typical preoperative diagnosis (60%) was osteoarthritis. There was an average blood loss of 200.5 ± 50.6 ml and a mean surgery time of 95.4 ± 15.3 minutes. Day 1 mean postoperative pain scores dropped to 1.5 on day 7 (p < 0.001), a substantial reduction. The average hospital stay lasted for 4.8 +/- 1.2 days. 10% of the cases resulted in complications overall, with wound infections accounting for 4% of cases.

Conclusions: The direct anterior approach in THA resulted in significant pain reduction and acceptable complication rates. These outcomes suggest that DAA is a viable and effective option for THA, offering quick recovery and manageable safety profiles.

Recommendations: Future studies should focus on long-term outcomes and comparisons with other surgical approaches to validate these findings further. Training programs for surgeons on DAA could enhance its adoption and improve patient outcomes.

Keywords: Total Hip Arthroplasty, Direct Anterior Approach, Pain Reduction, Postoperative Complications, Surgical Outcomes