It is a new procedure involving smaller incisions that are approximately 3-4 inches, versus the traditional method that requires a 12 inch incision.

This surgery is not truly "minimally" invasive, but, more accurately, "less" invasive. There is a smaller incision and less muscle work involved.

No, depending on the condition of the bones, severity of injury and size of the patient, not everyone is a candidate for this procedure. It is important to make sure the patient has the best chance for recovery, therefore employ the correct method for their situation. Patients must focus on all aspects to ensure you get the best outcome from a combination of the right implant and tools, minimal tissue trauma, proper pain management and possibly accelerated rehabilitation.

While uncommon, complications can occur during and after surgery. Some complications include, but are not limited to, infection, blood clots, implant breakage, misalignment and premature wear, any of which may necessitate implant replacement surgery. While these devices are generally successful in attaining reduced pain and restored function, they cannot be expected to withstand the activity levels and loads of normal healthy bone and joint tissue.

This is a new procedure, and there isn't a lot of peer-reviewed scientific literature yet comparing results of minimally invasive hip replacements with traditional hip replacements. The existing scientific literature is mixed on whether minimally invasive hip surgery offers significant long-term benefit over traditional hip surgery.

Yes, all insurances, including Medicare, pay for MIS total hip surgery. There is no difference in the surgical code used to bill for the MIS total hip surgery. It is the same as for a traditional hip replacement.

Patients, with a few exceptions, are able to start putting full weight on the operative side the same day as surgery. Typically, patients are walking 100-200 feet by the second day after surgery. A walker or crutches are recommended until patients feel confident enough and are stable enough to go to a cane - typically at one to two weeks after surgery. Many of the younger or more fit patients are walking up to a mile without a cane or crutch by six weeks after surgery.

This will depend on your age and level of fitness prior to the surgery. If you have a spouse at home that can help with meals and household activities, it may be possible to go home as early as two or three days after surgery. If patients are older and live alone, a short stay in the Transitional Care Facility, a step-down hospital, may be appropriate for a period of seven to ten days prior to going home.

In traditional knee replacement, an approximately 10 to 12 inch skin incision is made centered over the knee. This is followed by making an incision into the quadriceps tendon above the knee, down the side of the kneecap and two inches below the joint and then the kneecap is flipped 180 degrees and off to the side (everted). The knee is then bent up to expose the bones of the knee for resurfacing with the knee prosthesis.

The difference is in the size of the skin incision and, more importantly, how much muscle and tissue is cut to put the total joint components in. Cutting less muscle results in less pain, less swelling and potentially a quicker recovery. No, the same components are used in MIS hip replacement surgery that are used in traditional surgery. They are just put in through smaller incisions in the skin and muscle using specialized instruments.

A minimally invasive procedure is an alternative to traditional, or what is known as “open” surgery, in which a large incision must be made to expose the area of the body to be operated on. The minimally invasive procedure eliminates the need for this long incision. Small incisions are made to accommodate small tubes called trocars. These create a passageway for special surgical instruments and a laparoscope.

Although the names sound similar they are in fact two totally different things. One of our physicians was very surprised when a surgeon that he was working with years ago made a 3 inch incision in the neck for what was termed "cervical spine microsurgery". When he questioned the surgeon about the description of the surgery, her response was," it is microsurgery because I am using the microscope.

The LAP-BAND® System procedure is performed laparoscopically. The cameras and instruments our surgeon uses offer superior visibility and access for precise dissection of tissues and associated blood vessels. The operation is completed in a relatively short period of time (approximately 1 hour) and with minimal blood loss. The benefits of using these minimally invasive methods are that patients experience less pain, easier breathing, minimal scarring and a quicker recovery.

Your first postoperative office visit will occur two to three weeks after discharge. You will then be seen for further follow-up as required by your orthopedic surgeon. After the first year, you will need to see your orthopedic surgeon for a check-up every one to two years.

Since the small incisions used in minimally invasive procedures do not cut across large tissue areas, scarring tends to be significantly reduced. Patients who are appropriate candidates for a minimally invasive procedure usually stay in the hospital from one to three days, instead of the five to seven days required for open surgery. In many cases, recovery time can be as little as one to two weeks, as compared with four to six weeks for open surgery.

After the surgery, patients can expect some pain in their abdomen where small incisions were made, but this is usually tolerable and goes away in several days. Trouble swallowing is also a potential side effect and can vary from no problems at all to the ability to swallow only liquids. This can persist from several days up to several months, but usually gets better with time.

MIS is surgery typically performed through small incisions, or operating ports, rather than large incisions, resulting in shorter recovery times, fewer complications, reduced hospitalization costs and reduced trauma to the patient. MIS has become standard-of-care for particular surgical procedures, it has not been widely adopted for more complex or delicate procedures – for example, prostatectomy and mitral valve repair.

No, in many instances, particularly with older patients with more substantial degenerative disease, the risk of injuring the nerve tissue is higher with minimally invasive approaches. Microscope assisted procedures performed through somewhat larger openings often prove safer and more effective. Lumbar laminectomy for the resection of synovial cysts and coexisting lumbar spinal stenosis or degeneration spondylolisthesis