Minimally invasive versus standard incision anterolateral hip replacement: a comparative study

In this article the authors describe their surgical technique for performing total hip arthroplasty though a 3-inch incision minimal anterolateral approach. This is followed by the results of the first 50 total hip arthroplasties performed with this technique, which are compared with a control group of hip replacements performed over the same time period using a standard anterolateral approach. The results show that the technique is safe, with few complications. The operative time is increased during the initial learning phase, but the approach also may lead to faster discharge from the hospital.