The Truth About Minimally Invasive Surgery
Dr. Gil Ortega, Dr. Kurtis Staples, and Dr. Brian Miller, Sonoran Hip Center, Scottsdale LIVING WELL Magazine
Technological advances in hip replacement surgery give great promise of longer lasting results. Not only have the devices been improved, but so have the techniques used to perform the procedure. With increasing education and awareness, patients are now more involved in their care than ever before. One constant in patient interest is the pursuit of “minimally invasive surgery.”
Hip replacement surgery, by nature, is major surgery. All methods of replacing the hip joint require that the ball and socket joint be surgically removed and reconstructed. Potential complications include but are not limited to infection, blood clots, numbness and fractures. The technique used to place the implant may, however, be more or less invasive. Less invasive techniques are more commonly known as “minimally invasive.”
Often, minimally invasive surgery is considered minimal simply due to the size of the skin incision. Historically, every technique developed as a minimally invasive approach inflicts significant damage to underlying muscles and tendons – the truly functional part of the hip joint. Traditional hip replacement, done through a greater than six-inch incision, requires muscles to be split, cut and detached from bone.
Fortunately, a truly minimally invasive approach to hip replacement surgery has been developed. It is not simply what happens at the level of the skin, but more importantly, what happens beneath the skin. The direct anterior approach to hip replacement is the least invasive technique. In this technique there are no muscles or tendons that are cut, split or detached from bone. The surgery can be performed through a less than four-inch incision. This is a true minimally invasive surgery.
Anterior total hip replacement is the most muscle friendly technique for hip replacement, it allows an accelerated recovery with less pain and scarring. Because no muscles are cut, the hip is more stable. Following surgery, patients have no restrictions or limitations. By using a special operating table and x-ray during surgery, we are able to more accurately reproduce your leg length.
As a result of these benefits, patients are back to golfing, swimming, biking, skiing and other activities in just weeks. Dr. Brian Miller, Dr. Kurtis Staples, and Dr. Gil Ortega all have extensive training and experience with the anterior hip replacement.
Dr. Brian Miller, Dr. Kurtis Staples, and Dr. Gil Ortega are well skilled in anterior total hip replacement and may be reached at 480-398-4624.
