The Anterior Hip Replacement is a way to perform a hip replacement without detaching the muscles from the hip bone.  The benefit is an enhanced early recovery after surgery compared to traditional hip replacement surgery.  Most people use a walker for a week or less and then a cane for a 2-4 weeks.  There is very little limp after surgery and the leg lengths can be accurately established during the surgery.  The risk of dislocation is the lowest with this approach and coupled with the Rapid Recovery Program, there is a very low risk of blood clots.

     Dr. Seng has used this technique on most all of his patients since 2009 and has extensive experience with it.  He also uses this approach on some revision hip replacement surgeries. 

Dr. Seng has performed a large number of anterior hip replacement surgeries, thus most patients are a candidate for this procedure.  While there are some situations that Dr. Seng may decide to do a traditional hip replacement surgery, the vast majority of patients are candidate for this procedure.  

     Through his extensive training in the anterior approach to total hip replacement, Dr. Seng has co-authored two papers in leading orthopedic journals related to this procedure.  The first article, entitled "Enhanced Early Outcomes with the Anterior Supine Intermuscular Approach in Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty" was published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery.  This article found improvement in the early outcomes after surgery compared to a traditional lateral approach in patients undergoing total hip replacement.  

     The second article was published in the Orthopedic Clinics of North America and focuses on the learning curve for the surgeon learning this procedure.  Most surgeons were trained in the traditional approaches.  The anterior approach is a novel way to do a hip replacement and is associated with a learning curve for the surgeon before they become comfortable with it.  While many surgeons have criteria of who may or may not be a candidate for this approach, Dr. Seng uses this approach on the majority of his patients.  

The Rapid Recovery Program is more than just a small incision.  It includes:

     1.  Educating the patient prior to surgery

     2.  Preoperative physical therapy consultation

     3.  Coordinating a team focused on the care of a joint replacement patient

     4.  Minimally invasive surgery

     5.  Effective pain control that decreases pain while avoiding nausea/vomiting

     6.  Early postoperative physical therapy

     7.  Clinical pathways that help standardize the postoperative experience

     8.  Efficient discharge/home care planning

We are dedicated to making your joint replacement experience the best it can be!