title: Posterior approach: back door in.
abstract: Minimally invasive THA is a controversial topic in adult reconstruction. While early reports championed this new technique for faster return of function, decreased hospital stay, and less pain, these findings are being questioned. More recent reports have highlighted increased complication rates during the surgeon's learning curve and noted a lack of benefit compared with a standard incision. This article describes the senior author's technique for a minimally invasive posterior approach and emphasizes the importance of patient selection and a team approach. The size of the incision should never dictate the quality of the THA nor place the long-term results at risk. Incision length and degree of visualization are dictated by the needs of the specific surgeon as well as the patient's morphology. In appropriate patients, using a team approach and the described minimally invasive posterior approach can lead to a shortened hospital stay and rapid functional recovery without increasing the risk of complications.
authors.affiliation: Central Dupage Hospital, Winfield, IL 60190, USA.
authors.forename: Tad L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Gerlinger
authors.forename: Raju S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Ghate
authors.forename: Wayne G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Paprosky
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation; D016896:Treatment Outcome