Abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical results of bipolar hemiarthroplasty using the direct anterior approach (DAA) in 34 patients (6 men and 28 women, mean age 76.5 years, treated between 2008 and 2011). The mean follow-up period was 11 months. For comparison, we used a group of 30 patients (7 men and 23 women, mean age 76.4 years, treated between 2007 and 2008) in whom the anterolateral approach had been used.
Intraoperative complications included a greater trochanter fracture in 2 cases and a proximal femur vertical crack in 1 case. Operation time and intraoperative blood loss showed no significant differences between the DAA and anterolateral approach. Time until recovery of walking ability was significantly shorter in the DAA group than in the anterolateral approach group. We conclude that the DAA is useful for prompter recovery of walking ability.
