The research says, if you need a new hip – there are better options than the traditional surgery. Find out about the latest techniques, SPAIRE and BIKINI, and all their benefits in this quick guide from MSK Doctors, and their hip specialist, Prof. Paul Lee.
We all know what happens after a hip replacement surgery, right?
There's months of pain, barely being able to move, and risking a dislocation every time you do... but what if it wasn't like that? A new technique called SPAIRE is changing everything, and you can get all the facts right from the experts, at https://mskdoctors.com
Although the “common knowledge” on hip replacement surgery suggests that almost all patients will be placed under mobility restrictions, with extensive healing times, this is not always true. Well, at least not anymore.
The SPAIRE technique has been growing in popularity in recent years, due to the potential for minimising harm during the surgical process, and the wide range of benefits that can include.
If you've already gotten a new hip, this probably isn't too helpful - but if you're looking at getting one soon, let me tell you how to make it easier. Professor Paul Lee, the MSK Doctors hip and knee specialist, explains that this new procedure uses a unique approach that avoids causing damage to several important muscles and tendons in your hip.
These muscles and tendons are often damaged during the surgery we've all come to know and dread, leading to months of slow recovery, and common mobility restrictions against bending, rotating, or twisting the wrong way.
However, with SPAIRE they can be left almost fully undamaged, allowing you to begin practising standing and walking with crutches, nearly immediately after your operation.
I mean, personally, I would wait until the sleepy drugs wear off, at least, but you do you, it's your hip.
Before you get there though, let's talk facts.
The new guide from Prof. Lee includes information from several clinical studies on the SPAIRE technique, suggesting that the procedure can also reduce post-operative pain, recovery times, and dislocation risks.¹
Don't worry, I'll cite my sources at the bottom.
As if that's not enough, another, even more recent study also shows that when compared to a standard lateral approach hip replacement surgery, the SPAIRE technique shows an increased likelihood of helping you return to your full, pre-operative levels of mobility.²
I may have given you the impression that SPAIRE is the new be-all, end-all, but it's not.
The cool thing is, now you have options, and each option will net you slightly different benefits.
The next most popular option is called the BIKINI technique. This one isn't an acronym, it's an explanation - because an experienced surgeon can use this technique to hide the incision scar, inside your bikini line.
While it is unlikely that a hip replacement can be completed with no scarring, research suggests that the more experienced your surgeon is with this particular technique, the better they'll be able to hide the scarring. So there's a big tip for you - if you're going the BIKINI route, make sure your surgeon isn't just skilled, but also experienced in this particular procedure.
Just remember, there is no best option that's perfect for everyone.
We're all a little different, in our goals, our activities, and our anatomy - so before you decide, consider talking to a specialist. You can even book an appointment to talk to one right now, with no GP referral, and no waiting list.
MSK Doctors is like that - they don't care about lists and referrals, they just want to offer you the best advice, from the top experts, and access to the most skilled surgeons and the newest techniques.
So my advice, is to always ask an expert first. You can learn more, or schedule an appointment, at https://mskdoctors.com/treatments/spaire-hip
¹Kim, Yong Sik MD1,a; Kwon, Soon Yong MD2; Sun, Doo Hoon MD3; Han, Suk Ku MD4; Maloney, William J. MD5. Modified Posterior Approach to Total Hip Arthroplasty to Enhance Joint Stability. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research 466(2):p 294-299, February 2008. | DOI: 10.1007/s11999-007-0056-8
²Charity, J., Ball, S., & Timperley, A. (2022). The use of a modified posterior approach (spaire) may be associated with an increase in return to pre-injury level of mobility compared to a standard lateral approach in hemiarthroplasty for displaced intracapsular hip fractures: a single-centre study of the first 285 cases over a period of 3.5 years. European Journal of Trauma and Emergency Surgery, 49(1), 155-163. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00068-022-02047-1
