Bilateral Total Hip Arthroplasty

Overview - What is Bilateral Total Hip Arthroplasty?

Bilateral total hip arthroplasty is a procedure in which both diseased hips are replaced. Dr. Stewart began performing bilateral total hip arthroplasties in 2015 for patients with severe osteoarthritis in both hips. Bilateral total hip arthroplasty allows patients to reduce the length of recovery compared to undergoing two consecutive hip replacements, which would need to be spaced out at least 6 to 12 weeks apart.

Dr. Stewart performs bilateral hip replacement using the direct anterior approach on both sides, allowing him to verify implant positioning and leg lengths with fluoroscopic imaging in real time. Our patients who have undergone bilateral total hip arthroplasties have done exceptionally well and have had a very similar postoperative recovery to those patients who have undergone a single hip replacement.

What Causes the Need for Hip Replacement?

There are different types of degenerative joint disease (DJD) that can affect the hip, including:

• Osteoarthritis, in which cartilage wears down over time
• Post-traumatic arthritis, which results from a severe fracture or dislocation of the hip
• Rheumatoid arthritis, an inflammatory arthritis of the joints
• Avascular necrosis, a condition where the ball or femoral head has lost a healthy supply of blood flow causing the bone to die and the femoral head to become misshaped
• Hip dysplasia, a condition where bones around the hip joint did not form properly, which may cause misalignment of the hip joint

Candidacy - Who Is a Good Candidate?

Bilateral total hip arthroplasty may be appropriate if you have significant arthritis affecting both hips and meet the following general criteria:

• Severe osteoarthritis, avascular necrosis, or inflammatory arthritis in both hips
• Significant pain and functional limitation affecting both sides
• Good overall health and cardiac fitness to tolerate a longer surgical procedure
• A strong desire to consolidate recovery into a single period
• No major contraindications to simultaneous bilateral surgery

Risks and Benefits

There is a slight increased risk of requiring a blood transfusion when undergoing bilateral total hip arthroplasty, however, the risk is still quite small. The primary benefit is a significant reduction in total recovery time, as patients avoid the need for two separate surgeries, two separate hospital stays, and two separate recovery periods.

Recovery Timeline

Frequently Asked Questions