E-mail Form
Email Results

 
 
Print-Friendly
Bookmarks
bookmarks-menu

Minimally invasive hip replacement

Small incision total hip replacement; MIS hip surgery

Minimally invasive hip replacement is a technique used to perform hip replacement surgeries. It uses a smaller surgical cut. Also, fewer muscles around the hip are cut or detached.

Description

To perform this surgery:

  • A cut will be made in one of three places -- on the back of the hip (over the buttock), on the front of the hip (near the groin), or on the side of the hip. Your surgeon will explain which approach will be used.
  • In most cases, the cut will be 3 to 6 inches (7.5 to 15 centimeters) long. In a regular hip replacement surgery, the cut is 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 centimeters) long.
  • The surgeon will use special instruments to work through the small cut.
  • Surgery involves cutting and removing bone. The surgeon must cut through some muscles and other tissues. Less tissue is cut than in regular surgery. Most of the time, muscles are detached.

This procedure uses the same type of hip replacement implants as regular hip replacement surgery.

Why the Procedure Is Performed

As in regular surgery, this procedure is done to replace or repair a diseased or damaged hip joint. This technique works better for people who are younger and thinner. Minimally invasive techniques may allow for a quicker recovery and less pain.

You may not qualify for this procedure if

  • Your arthritis is quite severe.
  • You have medical problems that do not allow you to have this surgery.
  • You have a lot of soft tissue or fat so that larger cuts would be needed to access the joint.

Talk with your surgeon about the benefits and risks. Ask if your surgeon has experience with this type of surgery.

After the Procedure

People who have this surgery can have a shorter stay in the hospital and faster recovery. Ask if this procedure is a good choice for you.

References

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons website. OrthoInfo. Treatment: minimally invasive total hip replacement. orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/treatment/minimally-invasive-total-hip-replacement/. Updated October 2021. Accessed August 23, 2023.

Blaustein DM, Phillips EM. Osteoarthritis. In: Frontera WR, Silver JK, Rizzo TD Jr, eds. Essentials of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 140.

Harkess JW, Crockarell JR. Arthroplasty of the hip. In: Azar FM, Beaty JH, eds. Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 3.


 

Review Date: 8/12/2023

Reviewed By: C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, San Francisco, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
© 1997- adam.comAll rights reserved.

 
 
 

 

 

A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.