Early Results of Two-Incision Total Hip Arthroplasty: Experience with 250 Consecutive Cases at Saint Louis University

Minimally invasive total hip arthroplasty (THA) has been performed at Saint Louis University School of Medicine since 2000. This study is a critical appraisal of the early outcomes and complications observed in a series of the first 250 consecutive total hip arthroplasty procedures using the Zimmer MIS 2-Incision technique (MIS-2). Despite some published reports indicating high complication rates with this technique, our experience indicates that the complication rates are lower than many series using traditional hip exposures. Our findings show that the MIS-2 technique is useful and need not be restricted to younger patients with a small body habitus. Evolutionary improvements in the surgical technique and pitfalls of the procedure are discussed. Despite its demonstrated advantages, MIS-2 THA remains a challenging technical alteration from traditional total hip operative methods.

Keywords: two-incision THA, surgical outcomes, complication rates