10 Years Performing the Anterior Approach for Total Hip Replacement

Dr. Anthony CarterDr. Anthony Carter Milestone, orthopaedic surgeon at Hampton Roads Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, reaches a milestone in his career. December 2015 marks 10 years of performing the direct anterior approach for total hip replacement.” Over the past 10 years, Dr. Carter has performed approximately 4,200 direct anterior hip replacements.

The direct anterior approach for total hip replacement was first performed in France by Robert Judet in 1947. Dr. Joel Matta, Orthopaedic Surgeon Practicing Hip and Pelvic Reconstruction in California, first saw this procedure performed by Judet in France in 1981, he then brought it back to the United States, and adopted it into his practice in 1996. Dr. Carter recalls that, “After countless hours of researching this technique, I knew that this was the future of total hip replacement. The complication rate was significantly lower compared to that of other approaches and patients were experiencing much quicker recoveries after surgery.”In the early 2000’s, Dr. Carter traveled out to California to be trained on this technique by Dr. Matta. After his training, Dr. Carter brought this technique back to the east coast and was the first in Virginia to perform the direct anterior approach to hip replacement in December of 2005.

Over the past ten years, the direct anterior approach for total hip replacement has gained widespread use by orthopaedic surgeons across the United States. Since 2005, Dr. Carter has trained hundreds of orthopaedic surgeons on this technique nationally and internationally. Reflecting on the thousands of procedures he has performed since 2005, Dr. Carter shares that “The anterior approach to hip replacement changed the way hip surgery is done in this area.” He goes on to say that “It is truly rewarding to be able to take a patient from being, wheel chair bound one day to walking the next day. I am so thankful that my patients have trusted me to help them.”

We are proud of this Doctor Carter milestone.