C. Lowry Barnes, MD, president of the Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, said the anterior approach is used in 10 percent to 15 percent of hip replacements, but has the potential to grow. The technique requires a smaller incision and faster recovery than traditional techniques, according to the report. Both the anterior and traditional hip replacement surgeries have similar outcomes, said Dr. Barnes.
“The data shows that regardless of the type of approach used to drive the hip replacement, the results are very similar, with less than 3 percent having significant issues,” he said.
In 2019, about 500,000 hip replacements were performed in the U.S., and Dr. Barnes estimates that number will grow to 1 million annually by 2030 because medical technologies are advancing and Americans are maintaining a more active lifestyle than in the past.
Jeremy Reid, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Marlton, N.J.-based Virtua Health, also sees the anterior approach becoming more prevalent. He began performing it in 2014 and now uses it in 90 percent of the hip replacements he performs.
In 2021, CMS moved total hip replacements to the ASC-payable list, which allows surgeons to perform Medicare cases in the surgery center.
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