Special to NKyTribune
Patients in Northern Kentucky who meet specific medical criteria may now be eligible to have knee replacement surgery and go home on the same day.
Dr. John Larkin, Commonwealth Orthopaedic Centers, performed the first outpatient total joint knee replacement surgery in conjunction with the St. Elizabeth Orthopaedic Institute in Edgewood. Traditionally requiring a three-day hospital stay, the patient returned to the home environment on the same day.
Outpatient knee replacement surgery offers the following benefits as compared to total knee surgery:
* Quicker recovery
* Lower risk of infection
* Cost reduction
* Increased patient satisfaction
* Decreased anesthesia risk
“The advantages for outpatient surgery for the patient are numerous,” said Larkin, Orthopaedic Surgeon at Commonwealth Orthopaedic Centers. “The higher standard of pre- and post-op care has created an environment where patients can go home the same day from surgery and rest easy knowing they have adequate home healthcare and therapy teams to help them through the recovery process.”
“The higher standard of pre- and post-op care has created an environment where patients can go home the same day from surgery and rest easy knowing they have adequate home healthcare and therapy teams to help them through the recovery process,” Dr. John Larkin, Commonwealth Orthopaedics
Patients must fit a certain medical profile and should not have issues that pose an unreasonable risk to be considered an appropriate candidate for outpatient knee replacement.
Once a patient has elected to move forward with the procedure, there are several additional steps to complete.
The patient must undergo pre-operative teaching protocol with the surgeon and a pre-op visit with the anesthesiologist. This is followed by home visits by the home health and physical therapy team. Any necessary home equipment, such as a walker, elevated toilet seat, and cold-therapy unit, are all delivered prior to surgery.
“Our first patient did phenomenally well and was back on her feet without assistance a week ahead of schedule,” said Larkin. “In fact she was sitting at the dinner table with her family the evening of her surgery. We are only doing knees right now, however, based upon positive outcomes, we may consider outpatient hips in the future.”
For more information, click here .
From St. Elizabeth Healthcare