Fluoroscopy use and radiation exposure in the direct anterior hip approach

The direct anterior approach to the hip is an increasingly common approach for a total hip replacement. Fluoroscopic guidance can help evaluate bone preparation and component positioning. Traditional landmarks for establishing acetabular component position can be variable and lead to placement of the acetabular component outside Lewinnek’s safe zone. Fluoroscopic imaging has been shown to increase accuracy in acetabular cup position. Fluoroscopic imagining during the direct anterior approach has been shown to be safe and can be viewed as an advantage of the anterior hip approach.