One of the most exciting advancements in surgery has been the development of minimally invasive techniques, which don’t traumatize the body as much as traditional open surgery.
Minimally invasive procedures are being used for everything from urological surgery to spine surgery, and these techniques have also made their mark on orthopedic surgery.
Dr. Vasilios Mathews is highly experienced and skilled in performing minimally invasive orthopedic procedures, particularly knee replacements and anterior and posterior approach hip replacements (front and back incisions, respectively). If a patient is a good candidate for such a procedure, he recommends it because of the many benefits for his patients.
When Dr. Mathews approaches any surgical procedure, he carefully considers what options are best for the patient, and he considers himself your partner in care before, during, and after your surgery.
Minimally invasive procedures offer you significant benefits and support your post-surgery comfort and healing:
Tissue damage is reduced thanks to the smaller incisions and specially designed surgical tools that Dr. Mathews uses when performing surgery.
When you consider the profound difference in healing this can mean for patients undergoing hip and knee replacement, minimally invasive surgery becomes even more compelling!
Though not every patient is a candidate for minimally invasive surgery, and specific condition details preclude it, Dr. Mathews favors this approach.
For example, when Dr. Mathews replaces worn-down, painful hip components with artificial ones, patients can enjoy pain-free mobility once again. When replacement is done in a minimally invasive way, recovery is less uncomfortable and faster than when executed with traditional methods. The post-surgery experience is also easier.
The same can be said for knee replacement surgery as well — think a 4-6-inch incision as opposed to an 8- 10-inch one, and your quadriceps tendon is better preserved.
Dr. Mathews can also perform all types of knee replacement using minimally invasive techniques, including partial, unicompartmental (when just a single part of the knee is resurfaced), and custom knee replacement.
In the United States alone, there are about 790,000 knee replacements and 544,000 hip replacements performed annually, and rates of minimally invasive procedures are growing.
Fortunately, due to their reduced invasiveness, these procedures offer patients safety, increased comfort during recovery, and fewer post-surgical risks. The majority of patients do well, research has shown. In addition, robotic knee replacement, which is also a minimally invasive surgery that Dr. Mathews performs, is associated with a better range of movement post-surgery.
Contact our conveniently located Houston office at 713-794-3548 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Mathews or book one online.
