Anterior Hip Replacement

If hip arthritis takes a toll on your daily life, and nonsurgical treatments have not provided adequate relief, anterior hip replacement may be an option for you.

Like more traditional hip replacement approaches, the anterior approach involves replacing the damaged portions of the hip joint with prosthetics to reduce hip pain and improve function. The benefit of the anterior approach is that recovery is much easier on patients. For this reason, Dr. Casey uses the anterior approach when performing hip replacements.

Dr. Casey has gained extensive experience in anterior hip replacement over his 20 years in practice. He also completed his residency at Scott & White Memorial Hospital in Texas, a facility known for the high volume of joint replacement procedures completed there every year. This allowed him to gain more first-hand joint replacement experience in residency than the average orthopedic surgeon before entering private practice. For a more technically demanding procedure like anterior hip replacement, this experience leads to excellent outcomes for patients.

Benefits of Anterior Hip Replacement

Dr. Casey may recommend hip replacement surgery for patients with hip arthritis that affects their everyday lives and makes it difficult for them to get around. Typically, candidates for hip replacement surgery have tried conservative treatments like medications and physical therapy for an extended period of time with little to no relief.

Though there are different accepted approaches for hip replacement surgery and all provide similar long-term results, Dr. Casey prefers the anterior approach because it offers several benefits to the patient in recovery. With the anterior approach, Dr. Casey makes a cut at the front of the hip to access the joint, rather than the traditional incision at the back of the hip. This allows him to access the joint without having to detach any muscles, which significantly improves the recovery process. The anterior approach also provides better results with matching up leg lengths, so that patients are not walking with a significant limp after surgery.

Benefits of anterior hip replacement include:

• Less pain after surgery
• Fewer restrictions after surgeryv
• Greater stability
• Lower risk of dislocation
• Lower risk of developing a limp

Anterior Hip Replacement Procedure

Hip replacement surgery is typically done under anesthesia. During an anterior hip replacement, Dr. Casey makes a cut at the front of the hip to access the joint. With the incision at the front of the hip, he is able to separate the muscles to get to the joint, rather than detach them.

Next, he will remove the ball-shaped upper end of the femur (thighbone), as well as any damaged cartilage or bone in the hip socket. He then replaces the joint components with hip replacement implants, checking placement and alignment before closing the incision. Hip implants are typically made of metal, with a plastic lining for the hip socket to allow the implant to glide smoothly when moving the hip.

Recovering from Anterior Hip Replacement

After anterior hip replacement surgery, patients typically need to stay in the hospital overnight. Most patients are able to return home the following day.

Because anterior hip replacement allows for less pain in recovery, the recovery period is often easier than recovery from traditional hip replacement approaches. Patients are typically walking the day of surgery.

Patients also participate in outpatient physical therapy for about 6 weeks. In physical therapy, patients work on strength and gait training, learning how to walk with the new hip. Dr. Casey’s practice, Gulf Coast Orthopedics, offers outpatient physical therapy services on-site for the convenience of their patients. However, patients may work with any physical therapist that they choose.

Most patients fully recover from anterior hip replacement within 6-12 weeks of surgery. Because the anterior approach decreases the risk of dislocation, there are generally no long-term restrictions, though patients are cautioned to avoid full extension of the hip. In the long term, the vast majority of patients experience great pain relief and improved mobility after recovery.

Anterior Hip Replacement in Houma, LA

Dr. Brett Casey utilizes the anterior approach for total hip replacement because he believes that it makes recovery easier on the patient. After performing countless joint replacement procedures both in residency and over his last 20 years in private practice, Dr. Casey has substantial experience in hip replacement surgery. If you think hip replacement surgery may be right for you, and would like an evaluation, please call 985-262-3906 or request an appointment via our convenient online form.