Surgical Approaches to Total Hip Arthroplasty

Surgical exposure of the hip for trauma, infection, or reconstruction can be adequately accomplished through a variety of surgical approaches. This article describes in detail five classic approaches to the hip: Smith-Petersen (anterior), Watson-Jones (anterolateral), Hardinge (direct lateral), transtrochanteric, and posterolateral. In addition, recently described mini-incision posterior and anterior approaches are outlined. (Journal of the Southern Orthopaedic Association 12(2):90–94, 2003)