[Minimally invasive hip arthroplasty - what must be spared?]

The classical surgical approach to the hip joint has been modified in recent years. The development of minimally invasive surgical techniques promised a particularly gentle soft-tissue preparation with significant benefits in postoperative recovery and intraoperative blood loss for patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA). Exact knowledge of the anatomy of the hip joint and the surrounding structures at risk are essential to avoid complications. Each of the main minimally invasive approaches for THA implicates very specific advantages and disadvantages. Knowing these factors, minimally invasive hip surgery can be performed in a soft tissue-friendly manner. The resulting advantages have to be checked for significant clinical evidence.