Thus , while DAA hip arthroplasty can be successfully performed , it is not without complications .
Does the Direct Anterior Approach in THA Offer Faster Rehabilitation and Comparable Safety to the Posterior Approach?
Background Newer surgical approaches to THA , such as the direct anterior approach , may influence a patient ’s time to recovery , but it is important to make sure that these approaches do not compromise reconstructive safety or accuracy . Questions / purpose sWe compared the direct anterior approach and conventional posterior approach in terms of ( 1 ) recovery of hip function after primary THA  , ( 2 ) general health outcomes , ( 3 ) operative time and surgical complications , and ( 4 ) accuracy of component placement . Methods In this prospect i ve , comparative , nonr and omized study of 120 patients ( 60 direct anterior THA , 60 posterior THAs )  , we assessed functional recovery using the VAS pain score , timed up and go ( TUG ) test , motor component of the Functional Independence Measure ™ ( M-FIM ™ ) , UCLA activity score , Harris hip score , and patient-maintained subjective milestone diary and general health outcome using SF-12 scores . Operative time , complications , and component placement were also compared . Results Functional recovery was faster in patients with the direct anterior approach on the basis of TUG and M-FIM ™ up to 2 weeks ; no differences were found in terms of the other metrics we used , and no differences were observed between groups beyond 6 weeks . General health outcomes , operative time , and complications were similar between groups . No clinical ly important differences were observed in terms of implant alignment . Conclusions We observed very modest functional advantages early in recovery after direct anterior THA compared to posterior-approach THA . R and omized trials are needed to vali date these findings , and these findings may not generalize well to lower-volume practice setting s or to surgeons earlier in the learning curve of direct anterior THA.Level of Evidence Level II , therapeutic study . See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence
Thus , while DAA hip arthroplasty can be successfully performed , it is not without complications .