Can you have knee or hip replacement surgery and go home the same day? Yes, you can!
What is outpatient joint replacement surgery?
Outpatient joint replacement for hips and knees means having surgery in the morning and going home in the afternoon in time for dinner with your loved ones. Thanks to advances in surgical technique, anesthesia, and pain management, there are many patients who choose to have total joint replacement surgery as an outpatient.
Traditionally, patients had hip or knee replacement surgery at the hospital and stayed overnight. Now with our rapid discharge process, patients are able to go home the same day.
What is rapid discharge joint replacement?
Rapid discharge is an accelerated recovery program at The Miriam Hospital. It involves the latest anesthesia techniques, multimodal pain control, and early mobilization with our physical therapist.
The goal is to get you moving early and often. This approach helps reduce the risk of blood clots, decrease overall pain for patients, and improve outcomes from your joint replacement.
The process for patients having outpatient surgery for hip or knee replacement is as follows:
- You have surgery in the morning and recover in our recovery room.
- We ensure your pain is well controlled.
- You then work with our physical therapist who will teach you how to walk with an assistive device and navigate stairs safely.
- You then go home and rest.
- A visiting physical therapist from one of our partnered home health care agencies will be scheduled to provide additional physical therapy at home to keep your recovery on track.
Is outpatient joint replacement right for you?
Outpatient total joint replacement is not for everyone. It is reserved for motivated patients who are active and healthy, with limited medical issues. It is also necessary that you have a "care partner" -- a significant other, family member or friend who will stay with you after surgery and help you in your recovery.
What can patients do before surgery to help prepare for their recovery?
For successful recovery and positive outcomes from a total joint replacement, there are two things you can do.
1 – Prepare your home before surgery. There are things you can do at home prior to your surgery that will make your return and recovery easy on you and your caretaker. You can learn more about those tips here.
2- Prepare your body with pre-hab. We also recommend helping your body get ready for surgery by eating healthy and starting your physical therapy exercises prior to surgery. Surgeons sometimes recommend what we refer to as pre-hab (pre-operative physical therapy rehabilitation) to better prepare you for your recovery.
What is the benefit of having surgery in a hospital?
Having surgery at The Miriam Hospital provides patients with a dedicated operating room, anesthesia team, and medical staff who work around the clock to deliver health with care. We understand that choosing a joint replacement surgeon and center is a big decision. We have the tips to help you decide.
World-class joint replacement surgery near you
The Total Joint Center of the Lifespan Orthopedics Institute in Providence, Rhode Island offers nationally recognized care for hip and knee replacement surgery. Learn more about us and our team.
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