Modified posterior approach to total hip arthroplasty to enhance joint stability.
We modified the posterior approach by preserving the external rotator muscles to enhance joint stability after primary THA. We asked whether this modified posterior approach would have a lower dislocation rate than the conventional posterior approach, with and without a repair of external rotator muscles. We retrospectively divided 557 patients (670 hips) who had undergone primary THA into three groups based on how the external rotator muscles had been treated during surgery: (1) not repaired after sectioning, (2) repaired after sectioning, or (3) not sectioned and preserved. The minimum followup was 1 year. In the group with preserved external rotator muscles, we observed no dislocations; in comparison, the dislocation rates for the repaired rotator group and the no-repair group were 3.9% and 5.3%, respectively. This modified posterior approach, which preserves the short external rotator muscles, seemed effective in preventing early dislocation after primary THA.


METHODS
Level III, therapeutic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Kim
Yong Sik
YS
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kang-Nam St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Banpo-Dong 505, Seocho-Gu, Seoul 137-040, Korea. yongsik@korea.com
Kwon
Soon Yong
SY
Sun
Doo Hoon
DH
Han
Suk Ku
SK
Maloney
William J
WJ
D000328:Adult; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006617:Hip Dislocation / Q000517:prevention & control*; D025981:Hip Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012189:Retrospective Studies