Comparison of postoperative outcomes between bikini-incision via direct anterior approach and posterolateral approach in simultaneous bilateral total hip arthroplasty: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare an oblique bikini-incision via direct anterior approach (BI-DAA) to a conventional posterolateral approach (PLA) during simultaneous bilateral total hip arthroplasty (simBTHA) in terms of early patient outcomes, postoperative functional recovery, and complications. From January 2017 to January 2020, 106 patients receiving simBTHA were enrolled and randomly allocated to the BI-DAA or PLA group. Primary outcomes were measured using hemoglobin (HGB) drop, transfusion rate, the length of stay (LOS), the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, the Harris hip score, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, and the scar cosmesis assessment and rating scale. Secondary outcomes were the operative time, radiographic measurements, including femoral offset, femoral anteversion, stem varus/valgus angle, and leg length discrepancy (LLD). The occurrence of postoperative complications was also recorded. There were no differences in demographic or clinical characteristics before surgery. Compared to the PLA, the patients in the BI-DAA group had lower HGB drop (24.7 ± 13.3 g/L vs. 34.7 ± 16.7, P