How this muscle-sparing technique enables faster recovery, ideal patient candidates for bikini incision and when traditional surgical approaches remain the best option.
Video Highlights
The direct anterior approach accesses the hip joint without cutting through muscles or tendons, supporting a less invasive recovery.
Patients may experience less pain, improved mobility and a quicker return to daily activities following surgery.
Houston Methodist is among the few orthopedic centers in Houston offering direct anterior hip replacement with the bikini incision.
The bikini incision follows the natural groin skin crease, resulting in smaller, less noticeable scars.
Traditional longitudinal incisions remain the preferred approach for complex primary and revision total hip arthroplasty cases.
In this video, Dr. Kevin Park, orthopedic surgeon at Houston Methodist, discusses the direct anterior approach for total hip replacement in patients with end-stage hip arthritis who have exhausted nonsurgical treatment options. He highlights how the muscle-sparing technique enables faster recovery, less postoperative pain and earlier return to function. Dr. Park also reviews Houston Methodist's use of the bikini incision, a modification of the direct anterior approach that follows the natural groin skin crease to minimize visible scarring and improve cosmetic outcomes in appropriately selected patients. While the bikini incision may offer advantages for patients at higher risk of hypertrophic scarring, traditional longitudinal incisions remain the preferred option for complex primary and revision hip replacement procedures.