Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. Pain after hip replacement is more common than you think. The posterior approach for hip replacement surgery is by far the most common surgical technique used in the United States and throughout the world. ". However, minor incisions can also bear a seroma in the healing process too, it’s rather exceptional though. The top of your femur is shaped like a ball and covered with cartilage. The posterior approach is traditionally the most common approach used to perform total hip replacement. The procedure should relieve a painful hip joint, making walking easier. Surgical Approaches Used for Hip Replacement, Ⓒ 2021 About, Inc. (Dotdash) — All rights reserved, Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. As the incision heals, a scar will form. Why Is Hip Replacement Surgery Performed? If an incision becomes overwhelmingly itchy to the point where over-the-counter preparations aren’t relieving the discomfort, a medical professional might be able to help by prescribing a stronger cream. In addition, not all implants can be easily placed using an anterior approach, and managing anatomical deformities or performing revision hip replacement is not always as straightforward with an anterior approach as it is with a posterior approach. Jonathan Cluett, MD, is board-certified in orthopedic surgery. Knee and hip replacements are two of the most commonly performed elective operations. In this procedure, the incisions are smaller and there is less muscle and tissue damage than in the traditional hip replacement procedure. What Causes of Pain and Discomfort Around the Hip Joint? Total hip replacement has become one of the most common and most successful types of orthopedic surgeries. A number of factors may be preventing you from getting the best results after your surgery. He is the director of adult spinal deformity & complex spinal reconstruction at Massachusetts General Hospital and is on the faculty at Harvard Medical School. This surgical approach is often considered to be a balance between the anterior and posterior approaches. The big difference in anterior vs posterior hip replacement is primarily where the incision is made and how long it is. Any redness more than 2 inches away from the incision edge is a cause for concern. In fact, the most widely referenced report of this technique was published in 1980. During this time, the incision will likely become inflamed and there may be some drainage. Paying a visit to a physician is highly recommended if an individual experiences the symptoms mentioned above despite t… In situations that are particularly challenging due to issues like bone deformity, hardware within the hip, or other complicating factors, the incision can be extended to allow for more complex surgical reconstruction. Hip replacement is the most common orthopedic surgical procedure. Incision Drainage Issues. The advantage of this surgical method is the balance of having a versatile incision that can be used to correct deformities and insert specialized implants with lower dislocation rates following surgery than what is observed with posterior approaches. Collect, curate and comment on your files. Your surgeon would use imaging guidance during your operation to assist with proper insertion of the implants. Sign up and learn how to better take care of your body.  KNEE REPLACEMENT "SCAR HALL OF FAME": A SCAR RECOVERY PHOTO GALLERY. The implant procedure is the same, but the surgery may take longer because physicians work with x-rays and special instruments to guide them through the small incisions. Minimally invasive hip replacement are another option for hip replacement procedures. Incisions that have pulled apart and bled may take longer to heal. A disadvantage of the anterior approach is that surgical exposure of the hip structures can be more difficult, especially in people who are very muscular or have significant girth at the center of their body. Primary total hip replacement performed through an incision that is