Minimally invasive hip replacement

To perform this surgery:

• A cut will be made in one of three places -- on the back of the hip (over the buttock), on the front of the hip (near the groin), or on the side of the hip. Your surgeon will explain which approach will be used.
• In most cases, the cut will be 3 to 6 inches (7.5 to 15 centimeters) long. In a regular hip replacement surgery, the cut is 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 centimeters) long.
• The surgeon will use special instruments to work through the small cut.
• Surgery involves cutting and removing bone. The surgeon must cut through some muscles and other tissues. Less tissue is cut than in regular surgery. Most of the time, muscles are detached.

This procedure uses the same type of hip replacement implants as regular hip replacement surgery.

As in regular surgery, this procedure is done to replace or repair a diseased or damaged hip joint. This technique works better for people who are younger and thinner. Minimally invasive techniques may allow for a quicker recovery and less pain.

You may not qualify for this procedure if

• Your arthritis is quite severe.
• You have medical problems that do not allow you to have this surgery.
• You have a lot of soft tissue or fat so that larger cuts would be needed to access the joint.

Talk with your surgeon about the benefits and risks. Ask if your surgeon has experience with this type of surgery.

People who have this surgery can have a shorter stay in the hospital and faster recovery. Ask if this procedure is a good choice for you.

Small incision total hip replacement; MIS hip surgery

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons website. OrthoInfo. Treatment: minimally invasive total hip replacement. orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/treatment/minimally-invasive-total-hip-replacement/. Updated October 2021. Accessed August 23, 2023.

Blaustein DM, Phillips EM. Osteoarthritis. In: Frontera WR, Silver JK, Rizzo TD Jr, eds. Essentials of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 140.

Harkess JW, Crockarell JR. Arthroplasty of the hip. In: Azar FM, Beaty JH, eds. Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 3.

Updated by: C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, San Francisco, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.