There was no major difference in the rate of complications .
Conclusions Short-term recovery favors limited incision over st and ard incision THA .
Background The literature comparing  limited incision and st and ard incision THAs  is confusing regarding whether limited incision THA improves short-term recovery without compromising long-term durability and survival .
Further , previously published meta-analyses can not conclude that limited incision THA is better .
With new data , we seek to discover if the answers now exist .
Purpose We used meta- analysis to compare surgical and hospitalization data , clinical outcomes , and complication rates , and thus ( 1 ) confirm whether limited incision THA is at least comparable to st and ard incision THA ; and ( 2 ) determine whether limited incision THA is an improvement over st and ard incision THA .
THE FRANK STINCHFIELD AWARD: Muscle Damage after Total Hip Arthroplasty Done with the Two-incision and Mini-posterior Techniques
Some surgeons have suggested that a minimally invasive two-incision approach allows total hip arthroplasty to be done without cutting or damaging any muscle or tendon . To our knowledge that cl aim has not been supported by any published clinical or basic science data . Our purpose in doing this study was to quantify the extent and location of damage to the abductor and external rotator muscles and tendons after two-incision and mini-posterior total hip arthroplasty .  Ten cadavers ( 20 hips ) were studied . In each cadaver one hip r and omly was assigned to the two-incision group and the contralateral hip was assigned to the mini-posterior group . After inserting the total hip arthroplasty components the muscle damage was assessed using a technique described previously . Damage to the muscle of the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus was substantially greater with the two-incision technique than with the mini-posterior technique . Every two-incision total hip replacement caused measurable damage to the abductors , the external rotators , or both . Every mini-posterior hip replacement caused the external rotators to detach during the exposure and had additional measurable damage to the abductor muscles and tendon . We do not support the contention that a two-incision total hip arthroplasty is done without cutting muscle or tendon . None of the two-incision hip replacements were done without cutting , reaming , or damaging the gluteus medius or gluteus minimus muscle or external rotators
There was no major difference in the rate of complications .
Conclusions Short-term recovery favors limited incision over st and ard incision THA .
Background The literature comparing  limited incision and st and ard incision THAs  is confusing regarding whether limited incision THA improves short-term recovery without compromising long-term durability and survival .
Further , previously published meta-analyses can not conclude that limited incision THA is better .
With new data , we seek to discover if the answers now exist .
Purpose We used meta- analysis to compare surgical and hospitalization data , clinical outcomes , and complication rates , and thus ( 1 ) confirm whether limited incision THA is at least comparable to st and ard incision THA ; and ( 2 ) determine whether limited incision THA is an improvement over st and ard incision THA .