What is Bikini Incision Direct Anterior Approach (DAA)?
The United Orthopedic UK team frequently assist orthopaedic surgeons within surgery with a variety of our hip and knee implants. One of the surgeons that we work closely with is @Dr. Karuppiah Mahalingam, a Consultant Orthopedic Surgeon based at the @Mater Private Network hospital in Cork, Ireland.
Using the United Orthopedic Conformity stem and U-Motion II, Dr. Mahalingam is a champion of performing total hip arthroplasty (THA) using the bikini incision direct anterior approach (DAA) surgical technique.
After undergoing Bikini DAA, many patients leave hospital just one day after surgery and return to better quality of life at a quicker rate compared to standard hip replacement surgery.
What is Bikini Incision Direct Anterior Approach (DAA)?
The primary goal of minimal access hip replacement is to preserve muscles, blood vessels, and nerves surrounding the joint with minimal harm. The Bikini DAA approach is a new type of minimally invasive anterior approach in total hip replacement. It significantly reduces the potential risks associated with surgery such as blood loss. In addition, this type of procedure compared to conventional hip replacements speeds up post-operative recovery and rehabilitation times.
What are the benefits of the Bikini DAA?
1. Decreased recovery time and rehabilitation time
Compared to standard hip replacement surgery, the Bikini DAA surgical technique dramatically reduces the post-operative recovery time as no muscles are cut during the procedure. Typically, patients can stand up and practice walking with crutches almost immediately after surgery and can return to driving within one month of surgery. As a large part of recovery is due to the healing of internal soft tissues and surgical wounds, this minimally invasive technique greatly reduces the amount of time it takes to rehabilitate after surgery.
2. Shorter hospital stay
In many cases, patient’s length of stay at the hospital is dramatically reduced. As many patients can start walking with crutches soon after the procedure, patients are allowed to return home much sooner, generally the day after surgery. Although post-operative check-ups will be required, patients often find their recovery more pleasant and enjoyable in the comfort of their own home.
3. Small skin scar
Many patients will cosmetically benefit from a much smaller scar after their hip surgery. The incision is much shorter and smaller reducing the amount of scar tissue post-surgery. Because the wound is largely hidden in females by a bikini, it is also often referred to as a bikini incision hip replacement.
4. Faster return to daily activities
Patients who undergo minimally invasive hip replacement surgery recover much quicker than patients undergoing conventional hip replacement surgery, enabling them to return to their daily activities much quicker.
5. Less blood loss
As a minimal access hip replacement technique, it preserves both muscles and vessels meaning blood loss is significantly reduced. With blood transfusions seldomly needed, the risk of blood clots in the patient’s legs is also significantly reduced.
6. Reduced risk of dislocation
Dislocation is mainly related to posterior hip structure damage. However, as Bikini DAA is performed from the front of the body this technique significantly reduces the likelihood of hip dislocation. Also due to the preservation of muscles that work to improve the stability of the hip, movement post-surgery is not as limited in comparison to standard hip replacement.
7. Prevention of limping
Characterised by the surgical procedure that preserves muscles, blood vessels, and nerves during the exposure of the hip joint, minimal access hip replacement significantly reduces the chances of post-operative limping. With excellent control of their legs and no requirement for pain management medication as part of their rehabilitation, patients are able to drive very soon after surgery.
If you are an orthopaedic surgeon and wish to find out more about the technique detailed above using our range of implants, please contact Malcolm Pearson, UK Commercial Director for United Orthopedic UK via email: malcolm.pearson@unitedorthopedic.com
#surgery #orthopaedics #bikiniincision #THA #DDA
