Making the Case for Anterior Total Hip Arthroplasty

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) performed through the Smith–Peterson surgical approach has seen renewed interest among arthroplasty surgeons, as a minimally invasive intervention. Several reports have described the functional outcomes related to direct anterior THA. Most of these have shown that early surgical recovery parameters are improved, with satisfactory component position and an acceptable low risk of complications. Other authors have encountered a higher risk of complications, most often related to surgeon inexperience during early learning. Here, we have summarized the literature pertaining to direct anterior THA, to facilitate informed choices in adopting and learning this technique of THA.