Authors' objectives:

This brief has been prepared to assist the Calgary Health Region and other interested parties in its consideration of minimally invasive approaches to hip arthroplasty, a topic of current interest. Such techniques hold the promise of reducing morbidity and providing faster recovery. Possible reduction in hospital length-of-stay is an important consideration in terms both of costs and patient throughput, which may have an effect on surgical capacity and wait times. The intention of this brief is to provide information on the clinical efficacy or effectiveness such techniques in comparison with standard approaches to hip arthroplasty.

Authors' recommendations: As with other minimal access surgical techniques, minimally invasive hip arthroplasty offers the promise of lower morbidity, shorter hospital stay and faster recovery. However, there are so far very few outcomes data available for such approaches, though they are being used at a number of centres. The study by Wenz et al. is encouraging, as is the report of the results obtained by Berger, though the latter have yet to be published in the peer-reviewed literature. Further studies and experience will be necessary to establish the place of minimally invasive arthroplasty in routine care. Further developments in such techniques might be expected and standards of practice might change as these become accepted. No economic or cost data were located. The minimally invasive techniques offer potential savings through reduction in hospital stay and use of blood supplies, but costs of necessary instrumentation for the procedures and of training would need to be considered. Costs of post-operative rehabilitation, in comparison to those associated with conventional arthroplasty procedures, would also need to be identified. Dearborn suggests that availability of the less invasive approach have made hip replacement surgery available to patients with health problems severe enough to preclude use of the conventional procedure. Availability of minimally invasive arthroplasty might therefore tend to increase the demand for hip replacement procedures.

Authors' methods: Systematic review

Project Status: Completed

Year Published: 2003

URL for published report: https://www.ihe.ca/advanced-search?type=1020

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Country: Canada

Organisation Name: Institute of Health Economics

Contact Address: 1200, 10405 Jasper Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T5J 3N4. Tel: +1 780 448 4881; Fax: +1 780 448 0018;

Contact Name: djuzwishin@ihe.ca

Contact Email: djuzwishin@ihe.ca

Copyright: <p>Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (AHFMR)</p>