ABSTRACT
The goal of total hip replacement is to provide a pain-frce, iiwll-fixcd, stable, long-lasting nrflioplasty. Len^fli of hospital stay, recoveij fiiue, and incision lengtli an' iniportanf factors related to the success oftliepiva'dnrc. As tin' procedure has erolreci, the iw of liniilcd incision snr^ciy IKIS givu'n. A uniform classification system for less iinvsiw approaches to total hip replacement will nlloip similar approaches to be grouped together and lic'lp snrceons to srlccf tin' best approacli. Instr Course Lect 2006;55:195-197. The goal of total hip replncemcnt is to provide tlic patient with a pain-free, well-fixcd, stable, ni-throplasty that will last fur many years. Ideally, tliis procedure should be associated with the shortest possible recovery time and should expose the patient to the lowest possible risk. When tot ;il liip replacement was first intro-ducfd, the emphasis was on using a wide expo.surc to ensure neurovas-culnr protection and precise implant placement to achieve maximum implant longevity. Length of liospital stay, recovery time, and incision length were not important factors. Minimally invasive surgery has been introduced in many surgical fields and has revolutionized the surgical management of many conditions. The use of minimally invasive surgery has often resulted in faster recovery times, lower postoperative morbidity rates, and reduced costs.