SKEPTICAL PERSPECTIVES ON MINIMALLY INVASIVE TOTAL HIP ARTHROPLASTY.

Total hip replacement has been performed in the United States for over three decades and in Europe for more than four decades. It is one of the most, if not the most, studied surgical procedure ever in medicine. Its efficacy in relieving the pain and functional limitations from end-stage arthritis of the hip has been documented. From both an economic perspective, as well as from the perspective of the patient requiring a total hip arthroplasty, the need for additional surgery following the index procedure is of paramount concern. If a treatment does prove to be an improvement, it should not be limited to a select group of surgeons. These premises are the basis for the respect that the public holds for the medical profession today.