Hip resurfacing with preservation of femoral head blood supply.

Hip resurfacing arthroplasty can be performed through anterolateral or posterior approaches. Concerns have been raised about the posterior approach due to the perceived loss ofthe crucial posterolateral blood supply to the femoral head and neck. The trochanteric 'flip' osteotomy method, pioneered by Ganz, with a blood supply conserving capsulotomy was therefore developed to allow this operation to be performed through an anterolateral incision. The repair of the trochanteric osteotomy has, however, shown an incidence of non-union and does not permit full weight bearing in the immediate post-operative period. Through our current practice we have developed a technique for hip resurfacing through an anterolateral modified Hardinge approach that does not require trochanteric osteotomy, preserves the femoral neck blood supply and allows full weight bearing in the immediate post operative-period.