Zimmer MIS Anterolateral Hip Procedure

A Muscle Sparing Approach to Total Hip Replacement

Your patient’s goal is to live life according to his or her own terms. The Zimmer® Minimally Invasive Solutions™ (MIS™) Anterolateral Hip Procedure, combined with many of the clinically proven Zimmer Hip components, is designed with a focus on better 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 Anterolateral Hip Procedure is designed to facilitate implantation through a smaller incision while sparing the muscles and tendons around the hip:  

  • Without dividing the abductor muscles
  • Without violating the posterior hip
    capsule
  • While enabling good acetabular and
    femoral visualization

Clinical Goals and Experience

The Zimmer MIS Anterolateral Hip Procedure, conceptualized by Heinz Röttinger, MD and further developed in collaboration with leading surgeons from around the world, courses between the glutei and tensor fascia lata muscles directly to the hip capsule. This intermuscular interval through a small incision provides good exposure for total hip replacement and preserves muscle integrity so that rehabilitation can be rapid and the posterior capsule can remain intact, easing concerns about posterior dislocation. Among the goals of this minimally invasive technique are confident implant placement, minimal muscle and soft tissue trauma, shorter hospital stays, and a more cosmetically appealing surgical scar.

Since the introduction of the MIS Anterolateral Hip Procedure to the orthopaedic community in early 2005, hundreds of surgeons around the world have participated in the training program at The Zimmer Institute. Over 10,000 primary total hip replacement procedures have been performed using this innovative surgical technique. An early report on more than 300 patients in Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research indicated that this small, single incision approach helps provide excellent exposure without muscle damage and facilitates rapid rehabilitation.

Some of the key features of the MIS Anterolateral Hip Procedure are:

  • A single incision approach
  • A muscle sparing approach intended not to cut muscles or tendons
  • An anterolateral approach to the hip
  • An approach with the patient in the lateral decubitus position
  • Complete acetabular and femoral visualization
  • Extensile to a traditional procedure to address unanticipated interoperative conditions
  • Compatible with many current Zimmer Hip prosthesis designs, including the Zimmer® M/L Taper Hip Prosthesis, the CLS® Hip Stem and the new Trabecular Metal™ Primary Hip Prosthesis
Anterolateral Hip Implant Collage

Innovative Instrumentation

Innovative, easy-to-use instruments are designed specifically for the Zimmer MIS Anterolateral Hip Procedure to provide accurate bone preparation and implant placement. Zimmer has designed instrumentation to improve visualization, reduce the learning curve, 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 minimize soft tissue abrasion and allow an atraumatic trajectory of the rasps during femoral preparation
  • 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
Anterolateral Hip Instrumentation Collage

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 Anterolateral Hip Procedure or one of Zimmer’s other Minimally Invasive Solutions Procedures. Please see contact your Zimmer Sales Representative regarding these opportunities and

The Zimmer Institute schedule for details.

Anterolateral Hip Instrumentation Collage