Posterior Approach to Total Hip Joint Replacement Arthroplasty

ABSTRACT

This paper was written to review the posterior approach for total hip arthroplasty and to introduce the modified short external rotator muscle saving posterior approach for enhancing the hip stability after total hip replacement arthroplasty. After total hip replacement arthroplasty, dislocation is the most commom early complication. Especially with using the posterior approach, dislocation is more common than that for the anterior or lateral approach to the hip. We report here that saving or meticulously repairing the short rotator could reduce the incidence of posterior hip dislocation after total hip replacement arthroplasty. Along with a brief review of the posterior approach to the hip, we introduce the short external rotator muscle saving modified posterior approach to total hip arthroplasty.