Eponymous hip joint approaches

Abstract

After the low friction arthroplasty by John Charnley was no longer confined to specialized hospitals but commonplace in the general orthopedic practice, the issue remained how to most optimally reach the hip. The names of the authors of these approaches remain in a lot of cases connected to the approach. By evaluating the original articles in which the approaches are described we ascertain the original description and technique. By various sources we obtained the (short) biography of the people whose name is connected to the approach. Our research covers the biographies of colleagues Smith-Petersen, Watson-Jones, Hardinge, Charnley, Moore and Ludloff. The eponymous approaches are shown and described after the short biography on each individual. This study shows that without the work of our colleagues we cannot proceed in our profession. An understanding and knowledge of the people who dedicated themselves to developing the orthopedic surgery to the high standard it has today is the least honour we should give them.

The efficacy and safety of direct superior approach (DSA) for total hip arthroplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…To improve early recovery, the choice of total hip arthroplasty approach has also received increasing attention, such as the posterolateral approach and the posterolateral approach. Among them, the posterolateral approach is the most common approach for hip replacement because it provides good visualization of the acetabulum and femur for both initial and revision hip arthroplasty [ 5 ]. However, the risk of trauma, blood loss, and postoperative complications is higher with the traditional surgical approach mentioned in the published literature [ 6 ], whereas the minimally invasive surgical approach can improve surgical outcomes and theoretically reduce surgical medically induced injuries compared to the traditional approach, and more and more orthopedic surgeons and researchers are proposing the development of minimally invasive techniques as a future trend in surgical treatment [ 7 ].…”

Complications after direct anterior versus Watson-Jones approach in total hip arthroplasty: results from a matched pair analysis on 1408 patients

“…The direct anterior approach (DAA) was first described in 1881, when Marburg born surgeon Carl Hueter reported it to facilitate the femoral head resection in septic coxitis [1]. It gained increasing popularity in the nineteen fifties through the work of the Norwegian born American surgeon Smith-Petersen [2]. Further modifications of this approach have been developed in order to facilitate the detection of the Hueter interval [3].…”

A history of eponym usage in hip and pelvis radiography part 1: the paediatric hip

“…1 Throughout its history, medicine, particularly orthopaedic surgery, has used eponymous terms to describe common presentations, often attributed to the first to describe said pathology. Eponyms continue to be frequently used in orthopaedic surgery, 2,3 including but not limited to describing wrist to pelvic fractures, approaches for hip surgery, and even orthopaedic instruments, [4][5][6][7] While the accuracy and validity concerning the usage of such terms have often been questioned, 8,9 eponyms remain a prominent part of daily practice, and thus it is essential to remember from where, when, and whom we obtained these terms.…”