Changi General Hospital (CGH) introduces the new Anterior-Based Muscle Sparing approach for hip replacement surgery for enhanced patient recovery. 

  

Hip replacement surgery is a common procedure in Singapore, with around 1,900 patients undergoing it each year due to conditions such as hip fractures or from hip degeneration. As Singapore moves towards a ‘super-aged society’ — with one in five individuals aged 65 and above by 2026 — the demand for hip replacement surgeries is expected to rise.
  

  
Recognising the need for an approach to hip replacement surgery that prioritises patient comfort and enhances recovery, CGH introduced the Anterior-Based Muscle Sparing (ABMS) surgical technique in July 2023. Performed for the first time in a public hospital in Singapore, the new approach has demonstrated positive outcomes in the hip replacement surgeries conducted to date.

“The ABMS technique, which is new to Singapore, enables the CGH care team to enhance the patient experience as we continually innovate healthcare for better outcomes in Singapore and around the world,” says Adj Assoc Prof Andy Yeo Kuei Siong, Chief and Senior Consultant, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, CGH. “This patient-centric approach focuses on minimal invasiveness, patient safety and versatility, with less post-surgical complications and reduced recovery times.”
  

  

Less pain, more gain

Patients who underwent ABMS hip replacement surgery at CGH reported significantly less pain and faster recovery, with most of them up and walking within 24 hours post-surgery.
  

• Practised widely across the world, this minimally-invasive approach accesses the hip joint by using the intermuscular interval — between the tensor fascia latae and gluteus medius muscles — without cutting or splitting a single muscle nor potentially touching nerves. This results in less blood loss and less pain for patients.
• By working through this interval between the muscles, retractors are placed around the hip joint to expose the hip socket and the thigh bone. Surgical tools are then inserted to shape and prepare the bone to accept the prosthetic hip implants.
• The metallic shell of the prosthetic implant is inserted into the hip socket, and the femoral head is replaced with an artificial ball on a stem that goes down into the hollow of the thigh bone. The ball and socket are then placed together to complete the procedure.

They spent an average of one to two days in the hospital, without facing surgical complications. The minimally-invasive nature of the procedure — with a smaller incision made further from the groin area — contributed to faster wound-healing and reduced chances of complications and infections. “Our surgeons and care team in the operating theatres have undergone specialised training to perform this complex and high-skilled surgery,” says Dr Moo Ing How, Consultant, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, CGH, who performed the first ABMS approach in a hip replacement surgery at CGH.


X-ray scan image of hip joints with orthopaedic hip joint prosthesis.
  

Recovering in double-quick time

The enhanced patient journey from surgery to post-recovery has transformed the lives of patients such as 75-year-old Tang Yau Chng, who was one of the first patients at CGH to undergo a hip replacement surgery using the ABMS approach. With osteoarthritis in his right hip, Mr Tang opted for an ABMS hip replacement surgery in November 2023. Just three hours post-surgery, Mr Tang was able to stand on his own and do simple leg-and-hip exercises such as marching on the spot!

“Before consulting with Dr Moo and the dedicated CGH care team, I could still carry out my usual routine — my part-time work, driving, and even playing golf — but I had to do everything in pain,” Mr Tang shares. “Now, at just one-and-a-half months after surgery, I am almost fully recovered. I can walk up to 5,000 steps every day and I’m looking forward to playing golf very soon!”

Dr Moo adds that the ABMS approach is more versatile and suitable for patients of all body sizes and ages, especially senior patients with chronic conditions and comorbidities, to achieve faster recovery and an enhanced quality of life post-surgery.

With the introduction of the new ABMS approach to hip replacement surgery, CGH exemplifies a commitment to medical excellence to achieve well-rounded patient care, promoting a swifter and more comfortable recovery for those in need.


 

Hip hip hooray!