No Strength or Gait Benefit of Two-incision THA: A Brief Followup at 1 Year

Background Using comprehensive gait analysis and strength testing, we previously investigated the early (2-month) functional outcome after THA using two-incision and mini-posterior surgical approaches and found an advantage for the mini-posterior approach. Benefits included improved muscle strength, a less antalgic gait, and better hip function as reflected by changes in hip moments during level walking and stair climbing. We questioned how these differences in function would fare with longer followup.

Questions/purposes We determined whether the observed early functional advantages for the mini-posterior technique over the two-incision technique were still present 1 year postoperatively.

Patients and Methods We prospectively enrolled 22 patients with primary degenerative arthritis of the hip; of these, 21 completed gait and strength testing at 2 months, and 19 completed comprehensive gait and strength testing at 1 year (11 two-incision hips, eight mini-posterior hips). The 19 patients included 11 men and eight women with a mean age of 65 years (range, 40-85 years) and a mean (BMI) of 29 (range, 21-39).

Results At 1 year postoperatively, the patients who had the mini-posterior THA had greater improvement in hip flexion strength and internal rotation strength, greater increase in hip flexor internal moment, and greater increase in single-leg stance time on level ground over the patients who had the two-incision THA.

Conclusions Compared with the two-incision approach, patients undergoing mini-posterior THA had persistently better function, including hip flexor and internal rotator muscle strength, hip flexor internal moment, and single-leg stance during level walking.

Level of Evidence Level II, therapeutic study. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.