Incision Total Hip Arthroplasty Research Articles

Minimally invasive total hip arthroplasty holds great promise as an alternative to standard-length incision total hip arthroplasty. The authors recommend the posterolateral approach with an incision no more than 10 centimeters in length. Good candidates for the procedure include those with a body mass index below 28 who are not heavily muscled. Besides the obvious cosmetic benefits, a number of studies, including a randomized trial, have shown decreased blood loss and faster recovery. Other studies contradict these findings showing minimal benefits or no evidence that the minimally invasive approach resulted in less bleeding or less trauma to the soft tissues of the hip. Radiographic evaluation reveals acceptable results with the technique in terms of measurements of acetabular and stem position and cement technique. Further investigations into the efficacy and safety of the procedure in both the short and long term are required before widespread use is advocated. Maximum benefit with minimal risk to the patient is achieved by surgeons specially trained and experienced in the technique, utilizing customized instruments operating on a select group of patients.

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