Wellness

[wismiss]

While at the drugstore waiting for my prescription yesterday, a middle aged couple came and got in line. They were about fourth in line and I was in a chair waiting. We got to talking, and they shared that he had had a TKR and asked how long it would be before he would be without pain. I told them for me it was about six months before most of the pain was gone and about a year before totally pain free.

I asked him who did his surgery and where he had it done. Get this----it was done as out patient surgery at the orthopedic center. He went in early morning and was home by 4:00 p.m. I asked--total knee? I thought maybe he had arthroscopic surgery or a partial knee replacement. No, total knee replacement. His wife said that if you are on Medicare, it cannot be done at the center---you have to go to the hospital.

I can't imagine going home the same day. Have you ever heard of this?

[June Lands]

It will be the future of joint replacement no doubt. Pending no problems after surgery.

[Daysdee]

Yes, they are doing outpatient knee replacement here.

[Sweetbay magnolia]

Sounds like my appendectomy. Booted out the door within hours and promptly ripped an incision and could have had dire results.

I'm having a hip joint replacement and have been approved for a three-day stay. I hope the actuaries are right on this one.

[wenfen]

Probably depends on the Doc, but in my area, Atlanta...NO WAY!!!

You need too much care afterwards (that you would NOT be able to do for yourself),

plus physical therapist would have to come to your house.

I hope this is NOT a new trend because it's super dangerous to both the patient & Doc because of the potential for Major Lawsuits!!!

[sfnative]

Simply ludicrous.

There is: much post-op observation; administration of anticoagulant that must be monitored; signs of immediate onset infection which can be detected in a hospital setting; labs; PT and OT; learning how to get in and out of bed; ina d out of tub and onto tub stool; then, a day later, in and out of a chair, etc. There's so much more which occurs in a hospital setting that most certainly would not at home.

To some this may not sound like a big deal, but it is!

My take is that once the numbers start to come in, they're going to notice a rise in post-op complications. You don't want to be one of those statistics.

[mousiegirl]

I would feel better if done in a hospital. Many years ago, I had a hip replacement due to a childhood injury, and they tried to send me home on the third day, but I insisted staying another day. I had no physical therapy, only exercises that my Doctor told me to do in bed, worked like a charm. I understand that knees take longer, so can't comment on that, yet.

[adelle38]

What's next, out patient open heart surgery?

[gailcoco]

No, Medicare does not require OP surgery for knee replacements. The average length of stay is 3.3 days. And yes, they are done in hospitals. Some may be done at a surgical center and I suspect this is where this patient had his done as out-patient.

I work in a physician's office and we always have patients going in for knee replacements. They usually stay 3 days in the hospital. A friend of mine traveled from Florida to Chicago to have an advanced knee replacement surgery which was done on an out-patient basis. He had surgery in the hospital but spent the night in a nice hotel near the hospital, followed up in the AM with the surgeon and flew home that day. But, this doctor would not accept Medicare so he paid a lot of money out of pocket for this service. This was about 3 years ago so maybe the one day procedure has become more common place. But I haven't seen any other one day replacements around North Florida yet. I spent 3 days in the hospital for my hip replacement and I needed it.

[goodstuff]

I've known a couple of people who have had a TKR and come home late the following day, but that's still the exception rather than the rule here (metro Atlanta). I don't know anyone who's had the surgery on an outpatient basis. I came home on the third or fourth day after both of my TKR's and needed every bit of that time to get recovered and mobile enough to come home. I can't imagine having a TKR in an outpatient surgery center, either. It's a pretty complicated surgery, with significant risk of problems and complications.....

I wonder if the guy you talked with really had a total knee replacement? I have my doubts.