Outpatient Joint Replacement
Avoid the Hospital
What are the advantages to having a hip or knee replacement at a surgery center compared to a hospital?
Both outpatient surgery centers and hospitals are safe places to have hip or knee replacement. However, surgery centers offer a number of advantages compared to hospitals. Surgery centers have been shown to have lower surgical site infection rates. Moreover, there is a lower risk of being exposed to resistant organisms, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Outpatient surgery centers are more efficient facilities and less prone to delays. This makes it more likely that the planned surgery will occur on time, allowing patients and their family members to reliably plan their activities on the day of surgery.
What advances have allowed outpatient joint replacement to become more common?
A combination of advances in surgical and anesthetic techniques, medications, and rehabilitation have allowed outpatient hip and knee replacement to become more common. Orthopaedic surgeons have refined the techniques of hip and knee replacement to reduce surgical times and limit blood loss. Tranexamic acid is a medication routinely used to reduce blood loss during surgery. In addition, multimodal pain management regimens, including acetaminophen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, have limited the need for narcotic pain medication after surgery. These advances have allowed hip and knee replacement to be performed in outpatient surgery centers, so healthy patients can avoid crowded hospitals and recover safely at home.
Where do our surgeons perform outpatient hip and knee replacement?
Our hip and knee replacement surgeons perform outpatient surgeries at Orchard Surgical Center and Lighthouse Surgical Suites.
Am I a candidate for outpatient hip or knee replacement?
To learn if you’re a candidate for outpatient joint replacement, make an appointment with one of our hip and knee replacement surgeons.
