Outpatient Joint Replacement
Common questions about outpatient joint replacement
What is outpatient joint replacement?
Because of the evolution of modern techniques, we are now able to perform hip and knee replacements in an outpatient surgery center rather than a hospital. Patients arrive to the surgery center in the morning, undergo surgery which typically takes about an hour, are up walking within an hour or two after surgery, work with a physical therapist, and go home the same day.
For more information about physical therapy, check out ROC’s Physical Therapy services.
Is outpatient joint replacement safe?
In short, yes.
Traditionally, joint replacements were only performed in the hospital setting and patients were required to be hospitalized for multiple days. However, modern joint replacement surgery techniques come with a host of benefits:
- Less time in surgery
- Less blood loss
- Less pain (with less need for narcotic pain medications)
- Quicker mobilization
These improvements make outpatient joint replacement surgery much more viable, and lead to a lower risk of infection, blood clots, and hospital associated complications such as pneumonia and urinary infection. In general, patients recover much better at home than in a hospital.
There is a large amount of evidence showing that outpatient joint replacements are not only safe, but also associated with fewer complications when compared to surgeries performed in the hospital setting.
For more information about the Reno Orthopedic Surgery Center, check out our Surgery Center page.
Who is a candidate for outpatient joint replacement?
In general, outpatient surgery is reserved for patients who are generally healthy and active with good support at home. This should be discussed with your surgeon. For more general information about outpatient joint replacement surgery, check out the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons article on the practice.
Learn more about ROC’s joint replacement services or make an appointment for a consultation.