Femoral artery intimal injury following total hip arthroplasty through the direct anterior approach: a rare but potential complication

Abstract

Vascular injury following total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a rare but known complication. Various vascular lesions have been described in the literature, with arterial intimal damage being uncommon. Despite the recent popularity of the direct anterior approach in THA, only 1 case of iatrogenic vascular injury has been reported. We report 3 cases of common femoral artery intimal damage with thrombosis following direct anterior THA. We propose that misplacement of the anterior retractor in this approach, especially in certain susceptible patients, can lead to vascular damage. Therefore, maintaining a step-wise approach to placing the retractor with caution is essential. One of our cases had a delayed presentation of undetectable arterial pulse, highlighting the significance of regular postoperative vascular examinations. Keywords: Total hip arthroplasty, Direct anterior approach, Vascular injury, Arterial intimal damage