Hip osteoarthritis is the progressive degeneration of the hip joint, that leads to its destruction. It usually presents in man and women older than 60 years old, causing severe pain, restrictions of movement, and deterioration of the quality of life.
The frequency of hip osteoarthritis is increasing due to the increase of average life span, and the involvement of more and more people with sports.
In the initial stages, treatment involves the use of anti-inflammatory or cartilage protecting drugs, but the outcome is poor.
The final solution is total hip arthroplasty. It is a procedure that has been performed for the last 50 years, giving a solution to millions of people, that were functionally limited by the disease. It is a serious procedure, that can have several complications, and requires prolonged rehabilitation.
Minimally invasive surgery has been used lately to reduce the skin incision and tissue damage.
AΜΙS (anterior minimal invasive surgery) uses a skin incision less than 10 cm, and avoids cutting muscles or tendons, contrary to the classic exposures used so far. This accelerates post-operative rehabilitation, reduces complications, and the need for blood transfusion, while the patient is mobilized during the first day.
While, AMIS is an excellent procedure for hip osteoarthritis, it cannot be used in all patients. The body type plays a role.
Special instruments and surgeons trained on the technique are necessary. The orthopaedic surgeons of TheMIS were the first ones from Northern Greece to be trained in the specific technique in Tour, France in 2010. We have been performing this technique successfully ever since in numerous patients in St. Luke’s Hospital, in Panorama, Thessaloniki, Greece.