Simultaneous Bilateral Total Hip Arthroplasty With Contemporary Blood Management is Associated With a Low Risk of Allogeneic Blood Transfusion

Comparison of Perioperative Outcomes and Early Complications Between a Direct Anterior Approach or Posterolateral Approach in Simultaneous Bilateral Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Retrospective Study

Background: Controversies remain on the best surgical approaches for unilateral total hip arthroplasty (THA). There are little data on simultaneous bilateral THA via direct anterior approach (SimBDAA-THA) or posterolateral approach (SimBPA-THA). Purpose: We sought to assess differences in perioperative outcomes and early medical and surgical complications between SimBDAA-THA and SimBPA-THA. Methods: This retrospective study involved patients who underwent either SimBDAA-THA in a supine position (n = 73) or SimBPA-THA in a lateral position (n = 162) at our institution from January 2015 to November 2021. The 2 groups were compared in terms of clinical and demographic characteristics, surgical parameters, and complications during 6-months of follow-up. Results: There were no differences in clinical and demographic characteristics between the 2 groups prior to surgery. Simultaneous bilateral THA via direct anterior approach significantly shortened the length of both the operation (117.50 ±19.42 vs 143.97 ± 32.20 min) and the hospitalization (140.64 ± 43.22 vs 156.24 ± 56.64 h) but increased perioperative loss of hemoglobin (3.28 ± 1.01 vs 3.21 ± 2.26 g/dL). There were no significant differences between the two groups in transfusion rate; levels of interleukin-6, C-reactive protein or creatine kinase; or complications. Conclusion: This retrospective study of patients at a single institution found minimal differences in perioperative outcomes or early medical and surgical complications between SimBDAA-THA and SimBPA-THA except operative time and length of hospitalization. Larger studies with longer follow-up should be conducted to identify whether a direct anterior approach is superior to a posterolateral one.

Comparison of simultaneous versus staged bilateral total hip arthroplasty via the direct anterior approach: A propensity score matched analysis

PURPOSE

It remains unclear whether simultaneous bilateral total hip arthroplasty (SimBTHA) or staged bilateral total hip arthroplasty (StaBTHA) is clinically superior. No study has compared these two procedures matching surgical approach and patient background. This study aimed to clarify the differences between SimBTHA using direct anterior approach (SimBTHA-DAA) and StaBTHA using the direct anterior approach (StaBTHA-DAA).

METHODS

Patients who underwent THA between 2012 and 2020 were enrolled, resulting in a total of 1658 hips of 1388 patients. After propensity score matching for patient background, 204 hips of 102 patients (51 patients in each group) were examined. Clinical and radiographic outcomes, complications, intraoperative blood loss and blood transfusions (BT) were evaluated. In complications, we evaluated periprosthetic fractures, pulmonary embolism, deep venous thrombosis, surgical site infection and dislocation.

RESULTS

At the final follow-up, clinical and radiographic outcomes and complications were not significantly different between the groups. Intraoperative blood loss was equivalent for SimBTHA and the sum in the first- and second-stage StaBTHA. The total-BT rate was significantly higher for SimBTHA-DAA than for StaBTHA-DAA (p < .0001). The allogeneic BT rate was significantly higher in SimBTHA-DAA in the supine position (32.3%) than in StaBTHA-DAA (8.3%) (p = .007). However, no patient who received autologous BT required allogeneic BT.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinical and radiographic outcomes were equivalent between SimBTHA-DAA and StaBTHA-DAA. The allogeneic BT rate was significantly higher in SimBTHA-DAA than in StaBTHA-DAA. Autologous BT reduced the use of allogeneic BT in SimBTHA-DAA. Auto-BT may be useful for avoiding allo-BT in SimBTHA.