La Hip Unit of the University Hospital Complex of ToledoThe hospital, part of the Castilla-La Mancha Health Service (Sescam), has marked a turning point in its surgical portfolio by performing, for the first time, a bilateral hip replacement in a single operation. This minimally invasive anterior approach aims to shorten recovery time and minimize the impact of the postoperative period on the patient's daily life.
This first double hip replacement surgery in a single session The procedure, performed at the University Hospital of Toledo on a carefully selected patient, allows for the resolution of a condition that, until now, typically required two separate operations. According to the professionals involved, the technique combines safety, efficacy, and a significant improvement in functionality, making it a particularly attractive option for certain patient profiles.
What does the new bilateral hip replacement technique involve?
The procedure carried out in Toledo is based on a anterior approach to the hip in a single surgical stageThis approach involves making an incision at the front of the joint and separating the muscles to access the hip without severing them, which reduces tissue damage and promotes a faster and less painful recovery.
During the operation, the patient is placed in supine position, that is, face upThis allows the trauma team to operate on both hips consecutively without needing to reposition the patient on the operating table. This surgical procedure optimizes operating room time and allows for precise control of both sides in the same session.
According to the unit, the combination of anterior approach and bilateral surgery in a single stage is considered a safe and effective procedure when applied to properly selected patients. Among the advantages they point out are early mobilization, less postoperative pain, reduced blood loss, and a faster functional recovery—aspects that can make a difference in the quality of life of the patient who has undergone surgery.
At an organizational level, this technique also represents a optimization of hospital resourcesThis is because it concentrates into a single operation what previously required two hospital admissions and two operating room visits. This shortens the hospital stay and avoids exposing the patient to two separate anesthetic procedures, which is especially important for people with well-controlled but present underlying health conditions.
In the specific case of Toledo, the intervention has also served to consolidate the use of minimally invasive hip surgery within the Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology service, which was already using advanced techniques such as arthroscopy or complex joint reconstructions.
Candidate patients and pathologies for which it is indicated
This bilateral hip replacement surgery in a single stage It is not intended for everyone, but for a specific group of patients with particular diseases and a suitable general health. The main candidates are people with severe bilateral osteoarthritis or with avascular necrosis affecting both hips, pathologies that generate intense pain and limit basic actions such as walking, climbing stairs, bending down or dressing without help.
To propose this option, the team assesses whether the patient has good general health and their chronic diseases well controlledIt is usually considered for people in an approximate age range of between 20 and 65 years, although professionals emphasize that the indication is not rigid: it can also be considered in older patients as long as they maintain a high functional level and a good degree of autonomy.
In addition to age and pathology, orthopedic surgeons take into account other clinical criteria, such as body mass index, hemoglobin levels, and the absence of active infectionsIt is also crucial to have a support network in the patient's environment, as recovery at home requires some supervision and help with daily tasks during the first few weeks.
According to the unit, careful candidate selection is one of the elements that most influence both the safety of the procedure and the outcome. good functional results in the medium and long termIn people with significant deterioration of both hips, resolving the pathology in a single intervention avoids an intermediate period of months in which one hip has already been operated on and the other continues to cause pain and limitation.
In this context, the proposal of bilateral surgery in one session may be particularly attractive to relatively young or active patients who wish resume your work, sports or social routine in the shortest possible time, provided that the medical criteria established by the responsible team are met.
Benefits in recovery, discharge and daily life
One of the aspects that stands out most from the Toledo University Hospital Complex is the impact of this technique on the recovery time and return to daily activityAfter the procedure, most patients who recover well can be discharged from the hospital within 24 to 48 hours.
Although the complete rehabilitation It requires time and supervision; however, the unit's experience indicates that, in most cases, patients can gradually return to their usual activities between two and four months after the operation, always adapting the pace to the clinical evolution and the recommendations of the medical and physiotherapy team.
The possibility of performing surgery on both hips at the same time means that the patient avoids a second admission, new anesthesia, and another post-operative period separated in time. This reduces the number of days of sick leave, simplifies family planning, and concentrates recovery efforts into a single period, something many patients appreciate.
From a functional point of view, the previous approach, by respecting the musculature to a greater extent, can facilitate a earlier mobilization with less pain than other more invasive approaches. This translates into greater confidence when standing up, starting to walk with the help of assistive devices, and progressing in the exercises prescribed by rehabilitation specialists.
In terms of quality of life, specialists highlight that pain reduction and the increased mobility in both hips directly influences the autonomy for daily living tasksFrom moving around the house to shopping, taking care of family members, or resuming small leisure activities that had been put on hold due to joint limitations.
Specialized training and a commitment to innovation in Toledo
In order to offer these types of procedures, the Hip Unit team has carried out a Specific training in national and international hospitalsAt these reference centers, professionals have learned firsthand the technical details of bilateral surgery in one stage using an anterior approach, as well as the post-surgical care protocols that improve results and reduce complications.
This update work has included the study of rapid recovery protocolsThe organization of the operating room, pain management, strategies to minimize bleeding, and outpatient follow-up planning after discharge are all aimed at adapting the experience of other European and Spanish hospitals to the healthcare reality of the Toledo complex.
The intervention falls in line with Surgical innovation and less invasive techniques This initiative is driven by the Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology Department at the University Hospital Complex of Toledo, led by Dr. Félix Sánchez Sánchez. Under his leadership, the department has been incorporating new approaches and procedures with the aim of improving safety, reducing hospital stays, and offering patients increasingly tailored options.
The Hip Unit, comprised of doctors Paula Romera, Isidro Rivera and Nicolás Méndez SchergThis clinic comprehensively addresses the degenerative pathology of this joint in all its phases. Its standard techniques include arthroscopy, hip replacement, and reconstruction of damaged structures, allowing it to adapt to varying degrees of impairment and diverse patient profiles.
With the creation of this first bilateral prosthesis in a single procedure, the team consolidates its role as regional leader in hip surgery within the public health system of Castilla-La Mancha, reinforcing the position of the Toledo hospital on the map of traumatology and orthopedics at the national level.
Taken together, the first bilateral hip replacement surgery with a single anterior approach performed in Toledo represents a qualitative leap in the care of patients with severe pathology of both hipsBy combining careful candidate selection, minimally invasive techniques, and comprehensive postoperative planning, the Hip Unit and the Toledo University Hospital Complex, with their combined experience, training, and commitment to innovation, serve as an example of how public healthcare can incorporate advanced procedures aimed at improving the population's quality of life and health outcomes.