Minimally Invasive Surgery

Small Incisions Offer Big Potential Benefits

Two of the most significant advances in total hip replacement are the most prominent minimally invasive techniques—mini-incision and direct two-incision. Minimally invasive hip replacement allows surgeons to implant traditional hip components through one or two small (1.5 to 4 inch) incisions rather than the traditional 10 to 12 inch incision. The goal of minimally invasive hip replacement is to minimize the amount of soft tissue damage that occurs when a surgeon reconstructs a hip. The potential benefits of this approach include:

• Less bleeding during surgery
• Less post-operative pain
• Shorter recovery time
• Smaller scars for improved cosmetics

The Mini-Incision Technique
The mini-incision technique is similar to the traditional hip replacement, but the one skin incision made is very small (3 to 4 inches). Through careful positioning of the surgical incision, trauma to soft-tissue structures such as skin and muscle can be reduced through the mini-incision technique. Because less skin, muscle, and other soft tissues are involved, patients can potentially recover quicker, spend fewer days in the hospital, and return to their active lives sooner.

Next: Recovery and Rehabilitation