Abstract
BackgroundThe gluteus medius muscle plays a very important role in the stability of the gait, especially in patients with amputation of the lower limbs. Therefore, choosing the appropriate type of approach for hip arthroplasty is very important. Hence, this study aimed to compare the outcomes and complications between the anterolateral approach (ALA) and posterior approach (PA) for hip arthroplasty in patients with contralateral below knee amputation.MethodsFrom January 1999 to November 2014, 67 patients who underwent hip arthroplasty with contralateral below knee amputation were retrospectively analyzed. The study subjects were divided into two groups: the PA group (33 cases) and the ALA group (34 cases). The results of the clinical functional recovery with Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score, Harris Hip Score, and activity of daily living scale were compared between the two groups. During the follow-up period, complications related to gait such as fall, dislocation, and periprosthetic fractures (PPFs) were investigated.ResultsThe Harris Hip Score (p = 0.024) and the activity of the daily living scale (p = 0.043) of the ALA group were significantly lower at 3 months compared to the PA group, but no significant difference was observed between the two groups from 6 months postoperatively to the last follow-up. The WOMAC score was not significantly different between the two groups. Within 3 months after surgery, falls occurred in 3 cases in the PA group and in 11 cases in the ALA group (p = 0.019) Dislocation and PPF were caused by prosthesis-related trauma. Two dislocations and 1 PPF occurred 8 years postoperatively in the PA group. PPF occurred in 3 patients in the ALA group, of which 2 occurred within 3 months after surgery.ConclusionOrthopedic surgeons should pay particular attention in patients with hip arthroplasty on the contralateral side hip who had below knee amputation because functional recovery is delayed until 3 months after ALA compared with PA.
Highlights
The gluteus medius muscle plays a very important role in the stability of the gait, especially in patients with amputation of the lower limbs
Case analysis and perioperative evaluation From January 1999 to November 2014, 74 hip arthroplasty (HA) were performed for 74 patients (72 men and 2 women) on the contralateral hip and lower limb below-knee amputation at the author’s institutions
The posterior approach (PA) was used in cases, and the anterolateral approach (ALA) was used in cases (Table 1)
Summary
The gluteus medius muscle plays a very important role in the stability of the gait, especially in patients with amputation of the lower limbs. Choosing the appropriate type of approach for hip arthroplasty is very important. This study aimed to compare the outcomes and complications between the anterolateral approach (ALA) and posterior approach (PA) for hip arthroplasty in patients with contralateral below knee amputation. The surgical approach for hip arthroplasty (HA) remains a controversial topic. The PA is considered easier to perform and is generally a quicker procedure, limiting operative complications such as blood loss and anesthetic issues. Acetabular exposure is limited, and it is known that there is a risk of sciatic nerve damage [5] especially when extensive hip revisionary surgery is performed with PA [6]
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