Determining the incidence of abductor tears in total hip arthroplasty via direct lateral approach: a prospective analysis.
Publication/Presentation Date
9-1-2026
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Each surgical approach for primary THA has unique advantages. The direct lateral approach (DLA) offers increased visualisation of the gluteus medius and minimus tendons and, consequently, has been suggested to facilitate management of intraoperatively identified abductor tears. However, there remains a paucity of data exploring the frequency of abductor tears in patients undergoing primary THA via DLA. The purpose of this prospective study was to: (1) report the incidence of abductor tears in the DLA patients; and (2) identify risk factors for abductor tears in patients undergoing primary THA.
METHODS: All patients undergoing primary THA for osteoarthritis via the DLA by 3 high-volume, fellowship-trained arthroplasty surgeons from September 2023 to March 2024 were enrolled. Data on patient demographics and preoperative functional outcome scores were collected. The location, size, and tissue quality for patients with an abductor tear intraoperatively was also recorded. Receiver operating characters (ROC) curve analysis was utilised to determine abductor tear risk factors.
RESULTS: Of the 346 patients included in the analysis, 63 (18.2%) had an abductor tear. There was no difference in BMI, laterality, and preoperative functional outcome scores between groups. However, patients with an abductor tear were more likely to be older (70.1 ± 7.9 versus 65.0 ± 9.5 years,
CONCLUSIONS: In the present study, the incidence of abductor tears in patients undergoing primary THA via the DLA was 18.2%. Future studies are needed to compare the implications of abductor tears encountered in primary THA.
Volume
36
Issue
5
First Page
738
Last Page
744
ISSN
1724-6067
Published In/Presented At
Abe, E. A., Giakas, A. M., Sherman, M. B., Deirmengian, G. K., Smith, E. B., & Purtill, J. J. (2026). Determining the incidence of abductor tears in total hip arthroplasty via direct lateral approach: a prospective analysis. Hip international : the journal of clinical and experimental research on hip pathology and therapy, 36(5), 738–744. https://doi.org/10.1177/11207000261417954
Disciplines
Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Health and Medical Administration | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
PubMedID
41786667
Department(s)
Administration and Leadership
Document Type
Article