Direct Superior Hip Replacement

The Direct Superior approach is a modern technique for total hip replacement designed to protect important muscles and tendons around the hip. Instead of rotating the leg into extreme positions during surgery, the incision and exposure are planned to work around the normal anatomy.

In Portland, I currently offer this approach to patients who are appropriate candidates. The goal is straightforward: less soft‑tissue disruption, more stable implants, and a smoother recovery with fewer restrictions.

What is direct superior approach?

Direct Superior Hip Replacement is a minimally invasive hip surgery to replace the hip joint without cutting through any muscles or tendons.  Traditional hip replacement involves cutting major muscles to access the hip joint. Normally, after a traditional hip replacement, your surgeon would give you instructions on hip precautions to allow the cut muscles to heal.

However, for Superior Hip Replacement patients, hip precautions are not necessary due to a muscle sparing anatomic technique.

Advantages of direct superior hip replacements include:

• Lower risk of hip dislocation compared with many traditional approaches
• Earlier walking and lower risk of complications linked to prolonged immobility
• No formal hip precautions after surgery for most patients
• Single, smaller incision with muscles and tendons left in their normal position
• Less leg manipulation, which can mean less pain and a more natural gait sooner
• Precise implant positioning to support long‑term function and durability
• Optimized for outpatient surgery and a rapid recovery
• Lower blood loss than many traditional techniques
• Overall, a recovery that’s typically more comfortable with fewer limitations