Long gone are the days of long hospital stays and recovery times after joint replacement surgery. With modern medicine and advancements in patient care, knee replacement is trending in an outpatient setting, with early mobility and a rapid recovery to daily activities.
What is same day knee replacement?
Same-day knee replacement, also known as outpatient or ambulatory knee replacement, is a surgical procedure where a patient undergoes knee replacement surgery and is discharged on the same day.
This minimally invasive joint replacement involves much smaller incisions, less damage to neighboring tissue, and the ability to work around muscles and tendons. This elevated procedure has a variety of benefits including less trauma, minimized pain, and reduced complication risks. Same day knee replacement enables patients to accelerate their recovery at home, save on hospital costs and return to normal faster.
Outpatient knee replacement is an option for most healthy patients. Your orthopedic surgeon and healthcare team will determine if your or a loved one are a candidate for outpatient knee replacement. Complicated health issues such as diabetes, heart or lung disease may require your procedure to be done in a hospital setting.
What is rapid recovery knee replacement?
"Rapid recovery” in knee replacement is a concept in joint replacement to expedite recovery and enhance patient outcomes though pre and post operative patient education. Throughout the journey to joint replacement, your care team and nurse navigator will guide and educate each patient, with crucial information and setting expectations with each patient.
Rapid recovery joint replacement uses minimally invasive surgical techniques for reduced tissue damage, and multimodal pain management strategies. Patients are mobilized early after surgery with rehabilitation protocols that focus on quicker rehabilitation and improved functionality after knee replacement.
The integration of same-day knee replacement and rapid recovery protocols is reshaping the orthopedic landscape, making joint replacement more accessible and efficient.
By combining the benefits of same-day procedures with rapid recovery techniques, patients experience streamlined surgical interventions and shortened hospital stays, ultimately minimizing inconvenience and enhancing overall patient satisfaction. Advances in surgical techniques, anesthesia, and rehabilitation practices contribute to this evolution, allowing for the optimization of postoperative care and rehabilitation.
Same-day knee replacement and rapid recovery strategies continue to gain popularity among our patients. Today’s joint replacement options are redefining the standards in orthopedic surgery, making knee replacement easier and more accessible.
AUTHOR: Dr. Paul Jacob is a certified master surgeon in joint replacement and robotic joint replacement of the hip and knee in Oklahoma City. Dr. Jacob is recognized as one of the Top 3 Orthopedic Surgeons in Oklahoma, who has performed over 5000 robotic joint replacement procedures. Dr. Jacob is active in numerous research studies on joint replacement technology and robotic outcomes.
