Minimally invasive hip surgery: the approach did not make the difference

Background We hypothesized that minimally invasive surgery was superior to conventional surgery for total hip arthroplasty procedure. Purpose To compare the results of total hip replacement (THR) made by minimally invasive lateral approach with the results of THR made by conventional lateral approach. Materials and methods Prospective, randomized trial. Fifty patients were selected and then divided into two groups based on utilized approach. Data collected Perioperative bleeding, postoperative pain, time of recovery, components orientation, complications and functional results. Five-year follow-up. Results No differences were found in blood loss, postoperative pain, surgical time, components orientation, rate of complications or functional result. Minimally invasive lateral approach produced faster recovery with less hospital stay and earlier walking start. Conclusion Our results suggested that minimally invasive lateral approach has not provided significant benefits over conventional lateral approach for the implantation of a total hip arthroplasty.