Objective To compare the surgical feasibility and safety of three approaches (anterior, transgluteal, posterior) for constructing a porcine model of irreparable acetabular labral tear. Methods After a cadaveric anatomical exploration in two pigs to define feasible corridors, 36 male Chinese miniature pigs were randomized (1:1:1) to anterior, transgluteal, or posterior approaches for model construction and labral reconstruction. Primary intraoperative outcomes were blood loss, operative time, and a 0–10 surgical exposure score; postoperative complications and survival were assessed over 3 months. Results The anterior approach showed greater blood loss and longer operative time than posterior and transgluteal (both p < 0.001), while exposure was worst with anterior ( p < 0.001) and only trended better with transgluteal versus posterior ( p = 0.056). Postoperative events included sciatic nerve‐related claudication (4/12 posterior), acetabular chondral lesions (3/12 anterior), and poor wound healing (4/12 anterior; 2/12 posterior). One‐month survival was lower in anterior versus transgluteal ( p = 0.025), with most deaths within 2 weeks; 2‐ and 3‐month survival were also lower for anterior versus transgluteal ( p = 0.026; p = 0.011). At 2 months, survival was lower in anterior versus posterior ( p = 0.011). Conclusion The transgluteal approach appears to be a relatively safe and effective option for constructing porcine hip models; nevertheless, conclusions should be interpreted with caution given the undetermined mortality etiology in the anterior group.
Dai et al. (2026) studied this question.