A hip replacement, also known as a total hip replacement, is usually done when severe damage from arthritis or injury has made it difficult for you to perform routine activities because of severe hip pain or a restricted range of motion. With a minimally invasive hip replacement, you can expect to get back to your active lifestyle with minimum delay.
During a minimally invasive anterior total hip arthroplasty, your surgeon uses a specially designed table to perform the operation. You lie on your back with your feet placed in specialized boots attached to the table, which allows the surgeon to position your leg as necessary to gain access to the hip joint during the operation. A special imaging device called a fluoroscopy machine may be used during the procedure to help your surgeon position the prosthesis accurately.
Some of the benefits of minimally invasive total hip arthroplasty include:
- Smaller incisions: Your surgeon will make a 3 to 6-inch incision near the front of the hip. This incision is significantly smaller than other total hip replacement procedures, which may require a 9 to 12-inch incision.
- Working in between the muscles without incising them: The surgeon will move aside the muscles to expose the joint capsule. No muscles are split or detached during the procedure.
- Better support for the new hip: Because the muscles, tendons, and ligaments are not cut, there is better support for the new hip joint and a more natural movement of the hip.
- Faster recovery: Most patients can expect to be on their feet within a few hours after surgery and may be discharged on the same day as the operation.
- Lower risk of complications: Due to the minimally invasive nature of the surgery and a faster recovery period, there is a smaller likelihood of complications such as hospital-acquired infections or blood clots.
- Smaller scars: Patients have very small scars as a result of the smaller surgical incisions, giving a more aesthetically pleasing appearance to the surgical site.
Book an appointment at the American Hip Institute for an in-depth evaluation of your hip condition and a personalized treatment recommendation.
Dr. Benjamin Domb is an orthopaedic surgeon specializing in Sports Medicine and Hip Arthroscopy. He is the Founder and Medical Director at American Hip Institute and is rated amongst the Top Doctors in the USA by the NY Times, US News & World Report, and Castle Connelly. The doctors at the American Hip Institute® have been global leaders in Hip Arthroscopy and Robotic Surgery for over a decade. While some would call this excellence, we simply call it the American Hip Institute standard.
