A prospective study comparing the functional outcome, radiological outcome and gait analysis between lateral surgical approach and posterior surgical approach in the total hip replacement

BACKGROUND: The most widely performed approaches for the total hip replacement are the abductor muscle splitting lateral approach and the posterior approach. There is a difference of opinion among orthopaedic surgeons regarding the best surgical approach for total hip replacement. AIM: The aim of the study is to prospectively compare the Functional outcome, Radiological outcome and Gait analysis between lateral surgical approach and posterior surgical approach in total hip replacement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 10 patients underwent lateral muscle splitting approach and 10patients underwent posterior gluteal splitting approach by 2 senior arthroplasty surgeons. We have analysed the functional outcome using Harris Hip Score, Radiological outcome using the X-Ray and computerised tomography and Gait analysed using Rivermead visual gait analysis (RVGA) method. The results were analyzed statistically, comparing the posterior approach patients with the lateral approach patients. RESULTS: In this study the functional outcome, Radiological outcome and gait are equally good in both lateral and posterior approach. Although posterior approach group had better outcome in our study group, it is statistically not significant. CONCLUSION: According to our study, equally good results can be obtained in total hip replacement surgery using either the lateral approach or the posterior approach.The good results in both the groups may be due to the experience of the surgeons who performed their usual approach