A Complication-Based Comparison Between the Posterior and Direct Lateral Approaches to Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Single-Center Experience

Introduction Many approaches to performing total hip arthroplasty (THA) exist, primarily due to an insufficient amount of research that would favor one approach over the other. This study aimed to compare the risk of nerve injury, dislocation, Trendelenburg gait, and stem malposition between the direct lateral and posterior approaches to THA. Methods The study was a retrospective cohort study, and it was conducted in King Abdulaziz Medical City. It was directed toward adult patients who underwent THA from November 1, 2003, to November 1, 2018. All figures were obtained through the BESTCare system (ezCareTech, Saudi Arabia). Categorical variables were presented as frequencies and proportions. Quantitative variables were measured as mean and standard deviation. Fisher's exact test was used to compare the risk of complications between the two approaches. Results The posterior approach displayed a greater risk of stem malposition (p< 0.001) when compared with the direct lateral approach. However, neither approach showed a higher risk of dislocation, nerve injury, or Trendelenburg gait. Conclusions A higher risk of stem malposition was observed in the posterior approach, and there were no remarkable variances between the two approaches in the risk of dislocation, nerve injury, and Trendelenburg gait. Until more meticulous nationwide studies are available to provide evidence that would favor an approach over the other, the choice of surgical approach for THA remains to depend on the patient's characteristics and the surgeon's prior experience. Regardless of the approach, preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative factors that increase the risk of complications should also be identified and addressed adequately.