Femoral neuropathy following direct anterior total hip arthroplasty: an anatomic review and case series

The popularity of the direct anterior approach for total hip arthroplasty (THA) has dramatically increased in recent years. Many patients request this muscle sparing approach for the theorized benefits of quicker recovery and reduced post-operative pain. Femoral nerve injury is a rare, yet serious c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of surgical case reports Vol. 2018; no. 9; p. rjy171
Main Authors Patton, Ryan S, Runner, Robert P, Lazarus, David, Bradbury, Thomas L
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published England Oxford University Press 01.09.2018
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Case Report
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Summary:The popularity of the direct anterior approach for total hip arthroplasty (THA) has dramatically increased in recent years. Many patients request this muscle sparing approach for the theorized benefits of quicker recovery and reduced post-operative pain. Femoral nerve injury is a rare, yet serious complication following the anterior approach for THA. During the 7-year period from 2008 to 2016, 1756 patients underwent primary THA with a direct anterior approach by a single senior surgeon for end-stage osteoarthritis. Six (0.34%) of these patients had a post-operative femoral nerve palsy. We aim to discuss anatomic considerations, risk factors, and a timeline of severity and recovery for femoral nerve palsy following direct anterior THA in six patients.
Bibliography:Investigation performed at Emory University Department of Orthopaedics.
ISSN:2042-8812
2042-8812
DOI:10.1093/jscr/rjy171