Minimally invasive total knee arthroplasty: the results justify its use.

UNLABELLED: A mini-midvastus capsular incision was used in a feasibility study of 100 patients having primary total knee arthroplasty. Patients with marked limitation of motion were excluded from the study. Patients were followed up for a minimum of 2 years after surgery. The exposure yielded excellent results clinically and radiographically with restoration of stability and motion. The length of the skin incision varied from 8 to 15 cm with a mean of 10.5 cm. Using the limited exposure did not result in implant malpositioning. The surgical approach was not applicable in patients with a BMI > 40 or in those patients with a severe fixed valgus deformity. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic study, Level IV-1 (case series). See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.