The first was at USC roughly 25 yrs ago. They did it the old fashioned way where the "cut" through the muscles. Because the rod was a fraction of an inch too long they didn't suture me up but shave the rod some and went back in to make sure it was the same length of the other side. The next replacement was a couple of years ago for the other hip. That time they separated the muscles. The first time I was in the hospital for a week. The last time I walked out -with a walker- the day after surgery.
The complicated surgery is for the knee. Lots of articulating joints make it a far more difficult surgery than the hip.
