Surgical approaches for total hip arthroplasty

The total hip arthroplasty (THA) has dramatically changed the quality of life patients debilitated by hip arthrosis since its modern inception in the 1950s. THA may be accomplished through a myriad of approaches with the most common being the posterior, direct lateral, and direct anterior approaches (DAAs). The survivorship of THA via these approaches are comparable. A plethora of recent reports demonstrate that each approach has its own unique profile of advantages and disadvantages that surgeons must navigate. This review outlines the three most common approaches for THA including technical pearls, complication profiles, and clinical outcomes.