To evaluate the early clinical effects of direct anterior approach (DAA) versus anterolateral approach (ALA) on safety and functional recovery following total hip arthroplasty (THA).
Between January 2015 and May 2016, a randomized clinical trial was performed at Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital. A total of 50 patients who underwent THA were allocated for either the DAA (n=25) or ALA (n=25). DDA group had 25 patients (25 hips), including 16 males and 9 females, with the mean age of (62±2) years, BMI of (23.26 ±4.95) kg/m
The surgical incision of both groups were stage I healing. The mean follow-up was 6 months. There was no significant difference regarding operation time, incision length, and intra-operative blood loss between the two groups. However, we also found that there was no significant difference in the Harris score 3 months and 6 months postoperatively. In addition, two patients in ALA group suffered claudication (physical examination: abduction dysfunction of hip). We also found that DAA group resulted in better recovery of abductor strength and gait than ALA group during early follow-up.
Both DAA and ALA could obtain good results of early curative effect following THA. Moreover, DAA resulted in better gait than ALA during early follow-up.