Outpatient joint replacement surgery allows patients to return to their homes the same day as their surgery, according to WeAreCentralPA.com.
Here are five key thoughts:
1. Chris McClellan, MD, of Advanced Center for Surgery in Altoona, Pa., has performed more than 300 same-day hip or knee replacements since 2012.
2. The surgery center represents the only center allowed to perform outpatient procedures in Pennsylvania. Hospitals in the state don't perform same-day joint replacements.
3. Patients undergoing outpatient joint replacement surgery receive spinal blocks as opposed to traditional general anesthesia. This type of anesthesia provides a shorter-acting drug for sedation, allowing patients to wake up and leave the center in the afternoon.
4. With localized pain management, outpatient surgery patients limit their need for morphine and opioids. The chance of blood clots also reduces, as patients manage their pain well enough to walk.
5. Dr. McClellan noted the outpatient procedure costs significantly less than joint replacements in the hospital.
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