Zimmer MIS Posterior Hip Procedure

The Zimmer® Minimally Invasive Solutions™ (MIS™) Posterior Hip Procedure, combined with many of the clinically proven Zimmer Hip components, is designed with a focus on meeting the surgeon’s minimally invasive surgery goals on his/her terms, better clinical outcomes and returning patients to their desired quality of life.

Zimmer MIS Solutions are at the forefront of minimally invasive THA instrument and procedure design. The Zimmer MIS Posterior Hip Procedure is designed to facilitate implantation through a smaller incision while sparing the muscles and tendons around the hip:

  • Without dividing the gluteal muscles
  • Without cutting the quadratus femoris muscle
  • Without excising the posterior capsule
  • While enabling good acetabular and femoral visualization

Clinical Goals and Experience

The Zimmer MIS Posterior Hip Procedure, developed in collaboration with leading surgeons from around the world, courses bluntly through the glutei directly to the short external hip rotators and hip capsule. Zimmer has captured the most recent surgical technique advancements and innovations in the MIS Posterior Hip Procedure.  The Zimmer MIS Posterior Hip Procedure is designed to preserve many of the posterior hip structures so that rehabilitation can be rapid. A recent 2005 article in Clinical Orthpaedics and Related Research describes the improvements in hospital stay, postoperative pain, reliance on assistive devices and muscle recovery experienced with an MIS Posterior Hip Procedure compared to a patient group who had undergone a mini-incision total hip replacement.  A posterior approach to total hip replacement is performed by the majority of surgeons around the world making the Zimmer MIS Posterior Hip Procedure an attractive and anatomically familiar option for most of the orthopaedic community. Among the goals of this minimally invasive technique are confident implant placement, minimal muscle and soft tissue trauma, shorter hospital stays, and improved cosmesis.

The Zimmer MIS Posterior Hip Procedure is the culmination of the evolving experience of leading surgeons from around the world. Some of the key basic features of the Zimmer MIS Posterior Hip Procedure are:

  • A single incision approach
  • An approach with the patient in the lateral decubitus position
  • Extensile to a Traditional procedure to address unanticipated intraoperative conditions
  • Excellent acetabular and femoral visualization
  • Compatible with many current Zimmer Hip prosthesis designs, including the Zimmer® M/L Taper Hip Stem, the CLS® Hip Stem and the new Trabecular Metal™ Primary Hip Prosthesis

Innovative Instrumentation

Innovative, easy-to-use instruments are designed specifically for the Zimmer MIS Posterior Hip Procedure to provide bone preparation and implant placement. Zimmer has designed instrumentation to improve visualization and minimize soft-tissue trauma throughout the procedure in the following ways:

  • Offset rasp handles, shell inserters and other instrumentation for many contemporary Zimmer implants facilitate implant placement and minimize soft tissue abrasion
  • Optimized shapes and contours of the retractors help protect muscle fibers
  • Numbered retractors reflect their sequential introduction to the surgical field to promote technique education and efficient operating room process flow among the surgery team members
  • Backlit retractors improve visualization without encroaching on the incision site
  • Computer Assisted Surgery compatible

Advancing Skills and Knowledge

The Zimmer Institute, in true teamwork with the surgeon, provides hands-on training and transfer of knowledge to bring the benefits of minimally invasive surgery to joint replacement partners. The Zimmer Institute has numerous opportunities worldwide for surgeons to advance their minimally invasive surgical skills with the Zimmer MIS Posterior Hip Procedure or one of Zimmer’s other Minimally Invasive Solutions Procedures. Please contact your Zimmer Sales Representative regarding these opportunities and The Zimmer Institute schedule for details.