A study, published in The Journal of Arthroplasty, examined unicompartmental knee arthroplasty complication rates at ASCs and hospital outpatient settings.
Researchers reviewed all the patients of a single surgeon from 2012 to 2016. The surgeon performed 569 total outpatient UKAs. He performed 288 in an ASC and 281 in a hospital outpatient surgery center.
Here's what the researchers found.
1. There were a total of 30 major and minor complications within 90 days, however there was no difference in the overall complication rates between the ASC and HOS groups.
2. One person in the HOS group was admitted to a hospital overnight.
3. One patient from each group had to visit an emergency department within the first 24 hours after surgery.
4. Three patients from the ASC group visited an emergency room within seven days.
5. Five patients from the ASC group and eight from the HOS group were readmitted in the first 90 days.
Researchers concluded, "UKA at an ASC has a low early postoperative complication rate without increased risk of readmission or ED evaluation when compared to UKAs performed at a HOS."