Reference Library: MIS Knee Joint Replacement
 MIS Knee Joint Replacement
MIS Knee Joint Replacement is considered a giant step forward in total knee replacement for a number of reasons, which may include the following: a shorter hospital stay, faster recovery, and much less scarring.
The MIS Knee Joint Replacement procedure is an advancement in total knee replacement that offers important advantages over the standard surgical procedure. The Stryker MIS Knee Joint Replacement technique was pioneered by world-renowned joint replacement expert, Dr. Peter Bonutti. This technique brings together high quality knee implants, new minimally invasive surgical techniques, and new instrumentation.
Less Is More
Unlike conventional total knee replacement—which requires a large incision (8 to 12 inches) and significant disruption of the muscles and tendons—MIS Knee Joint Replacement is performed through an incision as small as 3 to 4 inches. In some MIS procedures the amount of soft tissue (muscles and tendons, etc.) that are disrupted during surgery may also be reduced. Through that same small incision, the diseased surfaces of the knee joint are exposed and then replaced, one at a time, with the artificial joint components.
Minimally Invasive Surgery
Over the past 25 years, minimally invasive surgery has revolutionized many fields of medicine. Its key characteristic is that it uses specialized techniques and instrumentation that enable the physician to perform major surgery without a large incision. In this respect, MIS Knee Joint Replacement is indeed “minimally invasive”, requiring only a small incision and causing minimal trauma to the soft-tissues. Minimally invasive surgical techniques may offer benefits including: less pain, less recovery time, and less scarring.
Listing the Advantages
Because fewer muscles and tendons are disturbed with MIS Knee Joint Replacement, their reconstruction is more natural, wound closure is easier, and recovery may be faster1. Clinical studies have shown that the midvastus surgical approach used in the MIS technique results in less pain (at both 8 days and 6 weeks after surgery) and quicker restoration of muscle control and strength2. It can take several months to recover from the large incision and muscle disruption with the standard approach.
Risks Associated with Minimally Invasive Surgery
The MIS Knee Joint Replacement technique is significantly less invasive than conventional TKR, but it is still a total knee replacement, not a partial or unicompartmental knee replacement. It takes little additional time to complete and may result in advantages for the patient. Joint replacement surgery is a major surgery and significant complications, while rare, can occur.
As with any major surgical procedure, patients who undergo total joint replacement are at risk for certain complications, the vast majority of which can be successfully avoided and/or treated. In fact, the complication rate following joint replacement surgery is very low: Serious complications, such as joint infection, occur in less than 2% of patients. (Besides infection, possible complications include blood clots and lung congestion, or pneumonia.)
References:
White R, Allman J, Trauger J, Dales, B. Clinical Comparison of the Midvastus and Medial Parapatellar Surgical Approaches. Clinical Orthopedics & Related Research. 1999; 367: 117-122.
Tria AJ. Minimal Incision Total Knee Arthroplasty. Clinical Orthopedics & Related Research. 2003; 416: 185-190.
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