RESTORE YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE: OUTPATIENT KNEE REPLACEMENT.

Mild knee pain or soreness often improves with rest, icing, or bracing. Knee pain caused by arthritis, however, typically worsens with age as cartilage continues to deteriorate.  Depending on the severity of the arthritis, medications or biologic interventions like PRP injections can provide temporary relief.

If pain due to arthritis is beginning to interfere with your quality of life, it’s best to see a specialist. An experienced knee specialist will often try non-operative treatments first, such as medications, physical therapy, or injections. If your knee pain does not respond to these treatments, it’s time to discuss your options for knee replacement

A knee replacement, or arthroplasty, is a surgery during which the surgeon removes the damaged ends of the femur (thighbone) and tibia (shinbone) where the cartilage has worn down. These ends are replaced with prosthetic implants, which allow the joint to move freely without friction or pain.

Knee replacement surgeries are classified based on how many of the knee’s compartments are replaced. A unicompartmental (also known as a partial) knee replacement involves replacing one compartment. Arthroplasties involving all three compartments are called total knee replacements.

Knee replacements can also be differentiated by the location of the surgery and its specific protocols. An Inpatient Knee Replacement is performed in a hospital, where the patient recovers for three to four days before returning home. An Outpatient Knee Replacement, by contrast, is performed in an ambulatory surgical center or a hospital that discharges the patient the same day.

Outpatient Knee Replacement is increasingly becoming the choice of patients in good medical health because it delivers a superior patient experience and a faster return to an active lifestyle. After an outpatient surgery, the patient is empowered to begin moving earlier, which increases blood flow to the knee and kickstarts recovery. Rather than staying in the hospital, the patient can return home the same day, sleep in their own bed, eat their own food, and recuperate with family.

Patients who choose Outpatient Knee Replacement typically recover more quickly than they would after inpatient surgery. It’s not uncommon for patients to resume most activities in as little as six to eight weeks. The recovery period from an inpatient knee replacement can be as long as six months.

Most patients don’t require prescription pain medication and only take mild pain relievers for one day after surgery. If medication is needed, MOR surgeons create a customized protocol made up of small doses to control your pain while minimizing side effects.

Today, most patients in good medical health are candidates for Outpatient Knee Replacement, but other factors relative to your medical condition may impact your decision to have inpatient or outpatient surgery. Be sure to speak with an experienced knee specialist to determine if Outpatient Knee Replacement is right for you.

The physicians at MOR were the first to perform an arthroplasty as an outpatient surgery, and today, our surgeons each perform thousands of knee replacements per year. Our experience in this procedure is unmatched, and our entire team works collaboratively to optimize the three most important aspects of care: 1) Education & patient preparedness, 2) Surgical techniques, and 3) Pre- and postoperative treatment.

The result is a streamlined experience on the day of surgery, faster recovery time, fewer complications, and the best possible outcome.