The PATH direct posterior approach

Abstract

Over the last decade, MIS, or soft tissue sparing, THA has emerged as a viable alternative to “conventional” THA. Much has been published both in the scientific literature as well as lay literature with regard to the advantages of various minimally invasive techniques. Most of the attention has been focused on the anterior approach. However, as more data has become available regarding complication rates, it has become clear there is a price to the adoption of these techniques. We propose an alternative minimally invasive approach, referred to as the “direct posterior approach,” that offers a similar level of preserved anatomic structures with the added benefit of a readily extensile approach that is familiar to most surgeons. As such, it is a viable approach for both primary and revision total hip arthroplasty.