Minimally Invasive Total Knee Replacement Surgery with a Lateral Approach

Minimally invasive total knee arthroplasty surgery (MIS TKA) combines established knowledge gained from the long-term success of conventional TKA with the benefits of a less invasive surgical approach. Because MIS TKA is built on the foundations and principles of conventional TKA, most surgeons are more familiar with the medial approach used in most knee replacement surgery. Experience in conventional TKA and in the medial approach is needed before the lateral approach is adopted. While many aspects of the lateral and medial approaches are similar, or even identical, the lateral approach offers the advantage of completely sparing the quadriceps, in particular the vastus medialis obliquus, as well as branches of the saphenous nerve and the genicular artery.