Table 3.

Complication rates with anterior versus posterior approach in primary total hip arthroplasty

		Event rate per 100 person-years
Outcome	Studies	A	P	Effect size Rate ratio (95% CI)a	p-value	Heterogeneity (I2), %	Publication bias (Egger’s p-value)
Infection	7	0.2	0.4	0.55 (0.38–0.80)	0.002	0	0.5
Thromboembolic event	4	0.5	1.1	0.59 (0.14–2.43)	0.5	0	0.2
Heterotopic ossification	4	1.5	2.3	0.63 (0.35–1.13)	0.1	0	0.3
Dislocation	11	0.2	0.2	0.65 (0.44–0.95)	0.03	17	0.5
Reoperation	16	0.6	0.7	0.84 (0.75–0.93)	< 0.001	0	1.0
Wound	5	1.7	1.9	0.93 (0.54–1.63)	0.8	0	0.4
Fracture	10	0.3	0.1	1.02 (0.75–1.38)	0.9	0	0.2
Patient-reported nerve injury	2	3.0	1.3	2.31 (1.22–4.39)	0.01	0	b

Notes: A = anterior approach; P = posterior approach.

^aRate ratio >1 indicates higher complication incidence rate with anterior approach; rate ratio <1 indicates lower complication incidence rate with anterior approach.

^bInadequate number of studies to calculate value.