Bilateral Total Hip Arthroplasty

Dr. Stewart began performing bilateral total hip arthroplasties in 2015. Bilateral total hip arthroplasty has been made possible due to the direct anterior approach. Dr. Stewart transitioned to using the direct anterior approach in 2013 which has led to faster recovery, improved accuracy in the placement of the components and better pain control. In our initial experience of patients that have undergone this procedure, there have been no postoperative complications.

Patients who have severe osteoarthritis of the bilateral hips and are in good physical health are good candidates for bilateral total hip arthroplasty. Ideal surgical candidates for bilateral total hip arthroplasty are those who are less than 65 years old, non-smokers, have a BMI less than 40 and are relatively healthy with few or no medical comorbidities.

The benefits of undergoing bilateral total hip arthroplasty versus staged hip replacements include not being exposed to anesthesia twice and less time off work to recover. There are minimal additional risks associated with undergoing bilateral total hip arthroplasty vs a single hip replacement. There is a slightly increased risk of needing a blood transfusion. In our initial experience, only two of our patients who underwent bilateral total hip arthroplasty required a blood transfusion postoperatively. Patients who undergo bilateral total hip arthroplasty have a very similar recovery to someone who undergoes a single hip replacement. The majority of our bilateral total hip arthroplasty patients are discharged home the day after surgery.

If you have questions regarding bilateral total hip arthroplasty, we would be happy to see you in our clinic or discuss any questions you may have over the phone. You can call our office to schedule an appointment to see Dr. Stewart and/or reach us to discuss questions over the phone at (715) 832-1400.