The Anterior Approach to hip replacement surgery allows the surgeon to reach the hip joint from the front of the hip as opposed to the lateral (side) or the posterior (back) approach. This way, the hip can be replaced without detachment of muscle from the pelvis or femur during surgery. The surgeon can simply work through the natural interval between the muscles. The most important muscles for hip function, the gluteal muscles that attach to the pelvis and femur, are left undisturbed and, therefore, do not require a healing process to recover from surgical trauma.

The Anterior Approach to hip replacement was first performed in Europe in 1947. Since that time, the technique has been continually refined with advancing medical technology. Today, literally thousands of hip replacement patients have benefited from this minimally invasive approach in Europe and America.

In 1996, Joel M. Matta, M.D., the John C. Wilson, Jr., Chair of Orthopedic Surgery at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles brought Anterior Hip Replacement to the United States. Dr. Matta has advanced the technique even further by co-designing a special, state-of-the-art surgical table with OSI and improving many surgical protocols for the hip replacement procedure. Having performed over 1,000 Anterior Hip Replacements himself since 1996, Dr. Matta has also been instrumental in the training of many orthopedic surgeons in this important minimally invasive approach. Dr. Matta’s views on this technique can be found at: www.hipandpelvis.com.