The Hip Unit from Hospital da Luz Arrábida , by the hands of orthopaedists Cruz de Melo and Fernando Leal , has already performed 20 interventions of bilateral total hip arthroplasty (corresponding to the implantation of 40 prostheses), since January 2019. This is an innovating procedure, for patients with arthrosis in the articulations of both hips, which are operated in a unique intervention, and not in separate phases and with months of interval. The hip articulation arthrosis affects often both legs, causing incapacitating pain. In these cases, and until quite recently, patients started by being submitted to surgery on one hip, and only months later they were operated to the second hip. However, it turned out that the procedure conditioned the rehabilitation from the first surgery, due to the restrictions imposed by the non-operated hip. Besides, it implied two surgeries, two anaesthesia and two periods of recovery, extending time until achieving the intended final result. The former anterior approach, applied by orthopaedists Cruz de Melo and Fernando Leal, enabled a change of paradigm in patients with this type of arthrosis, in view of its specificities and a good immediate post-operatory . In fact, surgeries performed so far at Hospital da Luz Arrábida allowed to obtain consistent positive results, with no increase in the rate of complications, compared to the old procedure of unilateral intervention. The Bilateral Total Hip Arthroplasty via direct anterior path, with “bikini” incision: It is applied in patients with bilateral hip arthrosis thoroughly selected; Patients initiate gait training, the day after surgery; Recovery is easy, safe and with excellent results, in terms of pain relief and quality of life; The duration of the period of incapacity for the exercise of professional activity and daily activity is, in general, reduced, since patients are subject to only one surgery.
