Minimally Invasive Hip Replacement Surgery
Minimally invasive hip replacement surgery lets the surgeon perform hip replacement through one or two smaller incisions. The artificial implants used for the minimally invasive hip replacement procedures are the same as those used for traditional hip replacement. Specially designed instruments are used to prepare the socket and femur and to place the implants properly. The artificial hip is implanted in the same way. But there is less soft-tissue dissection than with longer incisions.
A single minimally invasive hip incision may measure only 3-inches to 6-inches. It depends on the size of the patient and the difficulty of the procedure. Patients benefit from a smaller scar, less post-operative pain and a faster return to normal activities. The muscles and tendons are split or detached, but to a lesser extent than in the traditional hip replacement operation. They are routinely repaired after the surgeon places the implants. This helps healing. It helps prevent dislocation of the hip.
Reported benefits of less invasive hip replacement include:
- Less anesthesia
- Decreased blood loss
- Lower risk of complications, including heart and lung problems
- Reduced post-operative pain, which means less pain medication during recovery
- More cosmetic incisions
- Less muscle damage
- Rehabilitation is faster
- Hospital stays are shorter
Please remember the information on this site is for educational purposes only and should not be used to make a decision on a condition or a procedure. All decisions should be made in conjunction with your surgeon and your primary care provider.
