Anatomy and Biomechanics of the Hip Relevant to Arthroplasty

Description: Even though an enormous volume of literature concerns the anatomy and biomechanics of the hip, little of it is specifically organized from the perspective of total hip arthroplasty. Also, since an analysis of the finer elements of these factors has formed a significant part of the development of the porous coated anatomic (PCA) hip system, those aspects that we believe to be particularly important are reviewed in some detail.
Although a three-dimensional perspective is of critical importance in developing any kind of total hip system, we must recognize that much of the information that we gather in every day practice is two dimensional, namely, x-rays of the hip. The axial view provided by computed axial tomography (CAT) scanning is beginning to become a part of the common knowledge, but the information that it imparts has not yet had much impact on prosthetic design. The detailed cross-sectional anatomy presented in this chapter provides the informational background for the design of the PCA hip. It is our hope that this section will be particularly well studied.
The section on anatomy presents only the soft tissues that are encountered at hip arthroplasty from the perspective of the surgeon. However, since the direct lateral approach, which we are using, may be unfamiliar to many, these anatomical details will also be helpful for a better understanding of the surgical exposure.