title: [Long-term analysis of minimally invasive surgery in knee arthroplasty].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Knee arthroplasty is the treatment of choice for gonarthrosis. The development of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) requires assessing results based on the classical approaches and this is the purpose of our study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized, prospective study comparing two groups; one underwent MIS (45 patients) and the second one a classical approach (51 patients); both groups were comparable. The following variables were assessed in the immediate postoperative period and at 4 and 8 years: blood loss, pain according to the VAS, flexion and extension and quality of life measured with the SF-36.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the immediate postoperative period we observed statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) in favor of the MIS approach in pain, hospital stay and blood loss. However, this was not observed at 4 and 8 years concerning pain, quality of life and range of motion. We observed an improvement in the functional scale and quality of life compared with the preoperative status, without any differences when both groups were compared.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The MIS technique results in a better immediate postoperative period, but no differences were seen in the choice of the approach 4 and 8 years after surgery.
authors.affiliation: Médico Traumatólogo y Cirujano Ortopédico, Servicio de Ortopedia y Traumatología, Hospital Universitario de Salamanca, Salamanca, España. pesc21@yahoo.es
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pescador
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Blanco
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: García
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors