Minimally Invasive Knee Replacement is a giant step forward in knee replacement for a number of reasons, which may include a shorter hospital stay, less postoperative rehab pain, smaller incision lengths of 4 to 6 inches and potentially less scarring. Also, patients now achieve 90 to 100 degrees of flexion in the first three to five days after surgery. |
Minimally Invasive Hip Replacement is a giant step forward in hip replacement for a number of reasons, which may include a shorter hospital stay, less postoperative rehab pain, smaller incision lengths of 3 to 4 inches and potentially less scarring. |
There are certain, very specific circumstances where a smaller, partial knee replacement can be as effective as total knee replacement. These partial knee replacements are called "unicondylar knee replacements." They incorporate many of the principles and foundations of total knee replacement. Painful, degenerated joint surfaces are replaced with metal and plastic and poorly aligned knees are realigned to a more advantageous position. |
Future advances are promised as minimally invasive surgical techniques have been developed, studied, and perfected. Parallel this with MIS techniques, computer navigation is allowing orthopedic surgeons to bring a new level of precision accuracy to the operating room and to create new gold standards in component position and limb alignment. |
