An Extensile Posterior Exposure for Primary and Revision Hip Arthroplasty

The posterior approach to the hip joint has enjoyed varying degrees of popularity among orthopedic surgeons over the past 125 years. There is general agreement that the posterior approach offers the advantages of reduced blood loss, early post-operative recovery and a reduced hospital stay [1, 2]. The main arguments against the use of posterior approach are an increased risk of dislocation following hip replacement surgery [2–8], difficulty in component orientation and inadequate visualization of the acetabulum [9, 10].