Anterior is better than posterior.

Hi Jane, I think here in the UK the posterior method is favoured more than anterior which is why there are fewer posts about anterior. I watched the anterior approach on YouTube & when I spoke to my consultant he said he didn't favour this option at all.

Hi Jane

I didn't opt for a posterior op , it was what my NHS hospital does as standard .I agree that an anterior op does sound as if it has a much quicker recovery but not all of us are lucky enough to choose .

I have to disagree - and that's unusual for me on this forum.

Whichever you get, it's better than our life before the operation.

A good outcome is what really matters, but I can understand your preference for quicker recovery etc.

Graham - 🚀💃

What's the difference I like the idea of of no dislocation risk. I wasnt offered any choices. My cut is down the side of my leg to the back of my hip.

Lucky you to have a choice the anterior method requires a special table to perform the procedure and I was told that there are very few in the UK due to the expense and therefore, not many surgeons are trained in the technique. Also I have read a few threads  on here of people who have had problems after the anterior approach. 

Hi Jane, 

Good for you that you had a choice ... I did not have one with THR number 1 and when asked for anterior for number 2, my surgeon told me that he was not in favor of this method - He might not have enough experience because hospital couldn't afford the table or perhaps it is too expensive here and standard insurance will not cover it ....  I am making this up while I am typing (the insurance part) - 

Take care 

big warm hug 

renee

There are at least 5 different approaches, and they all have advantages and disadvantages. Much depends on the expertise of the surgeon and on the patient's post-op behaviors, such as whether they stick to any required restrictions or not.

Here in the US, you can do research on a surgeon and find out what approaches he does and would recommend for you. So you can usually choose an approach. In the UK when you use the NHS, it seems that is not the case, but you are assigned a surgeon and get the kind of approach that he does.

I did very little research on approaches before I had my surgery, and just blindly went with what my surgeon wanted to do, the antero-lateral approach, and I am very unhappy with the result. It is possible that the same approach with a different surgeon might have been much better, who knows.

No choice, posterior is what they do, just need to learn to be carefull and treat it with respect, which is what we should be doing to our bodies anyway.

Hi Jane, Thank you for your post. I am glad you are doing so well! I live in the U.S. and my insurance did give me the option. Although a friend who had one anterior and one posterior recommended the anterior, I chose posterior. I researched the risks posterior vs anterior and althought similar there seemed to be more risk of nerve damage with the anterior. I gave the research on both to my daughters and a friend without telling them my thoughts. After they read it, they all came back wanting me to have the posterior approach which I will have on this Tuesday. It pretty much came down to less risk was worth longer recovery time.

I am just grateful for my new hip and didn't much care which method was used, although I didn't get an option anyway.  I'm recovering from posterior and it is the method carried out mostly in the UK.  I'm sure there are pros and cons for each method.

Cels x