The Anterior Supine Intermuscular Approach for Total Hip Arthroplasty: Reducing the Complication Rate by Improving the Procedure

This study describes specific complications noticed during the first unselected cases operated by anterior approach for THA in our hospital and specific adjustments that were applied on the procedure to prevent these complications. We retrospectively analysed the differences between 202 patients who were operated by a standardised approach and 248 patients who were operated after adjustments were implemented with the procedure. Injury to the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (LFCN), fractures of the greater trochanter and dislocation were specific complications that were noticed with the initial technique.

Prevalence of injury to the LFCN decreased from 7.9% to 0.8% (p<0.001), fractures of the greater trochanter decreased from 5.4% to 0.8% (p = 0.004) and the incidence of dislocation decreased from 4.5% to 1.6% (p = 0.074).