| abstract |
A minimally invasive surgical procedure for replacing a hip joint is provided. The main incision starts at the point of the protrusion that is the apex of the greater trochanter and extends proximally in line with the femoral axis for a distance approximately in the range of 1 cm to 8 cm. An inline capsulotomy is performed while leaving the muscles and posterior capsule intact to expose the hip capsule for access to the hip joint. Prepare the femur to receive the femoral prosthesis. The femoral head is excised and removed from the hip bone. The acetabular preparation step is performed using a retractor that includes two tip rails, each with multiple spike teeth. Related tools, apparatus, systems and methods are also provided. |