Outpatient surgery is effective for hip and knee replacements

Don’t let the fear of hip or knee surgery keep you from seeing a surgeon. 

Patients with hip and knee problems used to undergo complicated surgical procedures that could make them immobile for months while they underwent a lengthy recovery process. Recent surgical innovations, however, have changed the outlook for joint replacement patients. Thousands of Americans are finding relief from joint pain through outpatient surgery.

According to Mayo Clinic statistics, 7.2 million Americans have had hip or knee replacements, and around 1 million of these surgical procedures are performed each year. (An estimated 4.7 million Americans have undergone total knee arthroplasty and 2.5 million have undergone total hip arthroplasty and are living with implants.)

“These numbers underscore the significant positive impact on health and quality of life that total joint replacement surgeries have made since the era of total joint replacement began in 1969,” said Mayo Clinic physician Daniel J. Berry. The prevalence of surgery has brought greater attention to the quality of life of patients. “Individuals with joint replacement constitute a special population with distinct needs that extend beyond the immediate hospitalization course and the postoperative period,” Berry added.

Improvements in surgical technology have lessened recovery times for many procedures.

Total hip replacement patients, for example, often work with therapists the same day as surgery to learn exercises to decrease their recovery time. According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, on average, most people do not spend more than three to five days in the hospital, and full recovery takes as little as three to six months.

Many patients at Midwest Center for Joint Replacement are seeing even better results.

Our surgeons have developed advanced anesthesia techniques and a multi-model approach to pain control, so many total hip and knee replacements can be performed as outpatient procedures. Joint replacements used to require at least a week in the hospital, but today, 60% of our patients are home within 6 hours of their surgery, so patients can recover with their families in the comfort of their own homes.

Patient satisfaction with outpatient surgery has been rated “good” to “great” with 98% of cases for the past two years. Midwest Center for Joint Replacement surgeons specialize in hip, knee, and partial knee replacement. Our surgeons have more than 50 years of combined experience and have treated thousands of patients like you.

We have found that joint replacement surgery provides significant pain relief in the vast majority of our cases. After an outpatient procedure, you will experience improved quality of life through restoration of physical and functional limitations, and you will regain the ability to walk and climb stairs, improve your range of motion and reduce activity-related limitations.

Reach out to the Midwest Center for Joint Replacement staff to schedule an appointment. We can get you back up on your feet and active again.

PH: 317-455-1064