Clinical experience with less invasive surgery techniques in total knee arthroplasty: a comparative study.

We compared 25 consecutive cases of total knee arthroplasty performed through less invasive techniques with 25 cases of age and BMI matched cases of standard knee replacements. Early experience suggests functional recovery is earlier with less invasive technique as compared with open access. Patients in less invasive group had better knee flexion (an average of 116 degrees compared to 97 degrees ), walking ability and stair climbing at 6 months than those with standard technique at 6 months. At 2 years this difference was maintained to a lesser extent. More patients with less invasive group could kneel and could do "normal up and down" the stairs at 6 months and also at 2 years. There was no significant difference in alignment and component sizing between the two groups. This should translate to similar long term results after less invasive knee arthroplasty as after open access total knee arthroplasty.