6th U.S. Center Performs Minimally Invasive Hip Replacement Surgery

San Ramon Regional Medical Center in California has announced completion of its first minimally invasive hip replacement surgery, becoming one of only six hospitals in the nation studying the new surgical treatment.

Researchers report that in the year since the first surgery of this type was performed at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago, the new surgical approach has been shown to result in less pain, shorter hospital stays and recovery times, and a faster return to routine daily living for patients suffering from osteoarthritis of the hip.

The procedure, which consists of two incisions, two-to-three inches in length compared to a single 10-to-12 inch incision, involves less cutting of muscle, tendons and ligaments, enabling patients to go home as early as the day after surgery compared with a four to five day hospitalization for traditional hip replacement surgery.

Assessment of patient benefits are still in progress, as the procedure, which employs the VerSys Femoral Hip Stem and the Triology Acetabular System, is still in developmental stages.

The four other U.S. hospitals that have performed the surgery are located in Portland, OR; Baltimore, MD; Fort Myers, FL.; and Pittsburgh, PA. A surgeon in Montreal, Canada also has performed the surgery.

Other sources:San Ramon Regional Medical Center