If a knee replacement is in your near future, I have good news: This can be an outpatient procedure for many patients. Qualified patients can head home soon after a partial or total knee replacement surgery.
To determine whether partial or total knee replacement is right for you, I will assess the three compartments that make up your knee, see what is damaged and what is healthy. Sometimes damage to the bone may not show up on an MRI or the bone is too damaged once the initial surgical cut is made. These may only be visible once the operation is in progress, and so the surgical plan might change. I am always prepared to transition from a partial knee replacement to a total knee replacement if needed in order to give you the highest functioning knee possible.
If you are a candidate for surgery, we will create a surgical plan together and discuss outpatient options. Some things that we will discuss can include some questions like, “Will you have support at home after being discharged?” or “Are you a healthy weight with no significant medical conditions?”
Both partial and total knee replacement are highly successful surgeries. Studies show that there are many benefits recovering at home with same day knee surgery:
- Decreased Medical Costs: The cost of inpatient care is constantly increasing. The average cost of outpatient knee replacement was approximately $8,500 less than the cost of a knee replacement followed by a three-to-four-day hospital stay.1
- Patient Convenience: Outpatient knee replacement allows patients to recover in the comfort of their own homes.
- Improved Surgical Outcomes: Studies show that a shorter stay in the hospital means a decreased chance of infection. Patients who stay in the hospital for more than three days face a higher risk of post-surgical complications.1
My goal as a surgeon is to see my patients back on their feet following knee replacement surgery. I realize hospital bills can be hefty and that there’s no place like home, especially during times of recovery.
Author: Dr. Robert Cagle is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in joint replacement surgery of the Knee and Hip using the latest technology and techniques for better patient outcomes. Get back to your active lifestyle with outpatient hip replacement.
