Comparison of Functional Recovery for Two Surgical Approaches for Total Hip Arthroplasty

Principal Investigator: Mark W. Pagnano, M.D.
Project Coordinator: Krista Coleman Wood, Ph.D., PT — colemanwood.krista@mayo.edu

Hip replacement surgery (Total Hip Arthroplasty or THA) has become fairly common and is used for a broad range of patients and conditions. At the Mayo Clinic, we are investigating two different minimally invasive surgical approaches for replacement of the hip. Advantages of minimally invasive surgery include shorter hospital stays, more rapid rehabilitation and recovery, less blood loss and diminished postoperative pain, which are believed to be due to the relative lack of muscle and tendon damage because of the technique.

This completed study looked at patients who were randomly placed in one of two different groups. One group of 32 patients underwent their THA using a two-incision minimally invasive surgical approach with fluoroscopy assistance. The second group of 32 patients had their THA done with a single incision posterior approach. Subsets of 11 patients from each group were seen preoperatively and at 2 and 12 months postoperatively to determine their strength and functional abilities. The functional activities are walking, ascending and descending stairs and a single leg stance activity. Data analysis is underway and publications are planned for early in 2009.