Maybe you played basketball in your college days, or you’ve always enjoyed running as a form of exercise or as a tension-reliever after a hard day at the office. Basketball and running are just two of the many reasons you may need knee replacement surgery, after years of wear-and-tear on your knee joints.
If you’ve been avoiding the procedure because you’re dreading the hospital stay and lengthy recovery period, the highly skilled orthopedic surgeons at Orthocenter, with locations in Red Bank, Morganville, Holmdel, and Marlboro Township, New Jersey, want you to know there’s an alternative to traditional knee replacement surgery. Learn about our outpatient, same-day knee replacement surgery so you can quickly get back to your regularly scheduled activities.
The goal of minimally invasive, same-day knee replacement surgery is the same as traditional total knee replacement surgery, also known as total knee arthroplasty: to relieve pain and increase mobility so you can participate in all your favorite activities.
With roughly 700,000 Americans getting knee replacements each year—a number that’s projected to increase as we live longer, healthier lives—finding a way to replace a knee joint without taking a huge amount of time out of your busy schedule is essential for many people.
Whether you have a demanding professional life, or you’re retired and have travel plans, getting back in the game sooner rather than later after knee surgery can make a big difference in when you schedule your procedure. It can also shorten the time it takes for you to get relief from pain and other immobilizing symptoms.
If you’re in good overall health, the thought of staying overnight at the hospital is probably less than appealing. With minimally invasive knee replacement surgery, you get all the benefits of traditional knee replacement surgery, with the added benefits of a smaller incision and no hospital stay.
Right off the bat, you won’t have an 8-10 inch scar on your leg, as you would with traditional surgery. Instead, same-day knee replacement procedures typically only need a 4-6 inch incision to replace the degenerative components in your knee joint.
A shorter incision means less disruption of tissue around your knee, which means it takes less time to heal, and therefore a shorter recovery period from the surgery itself.
During same-day knee surgery, your highly skilled Orthocenter surgeon is typically able to move your muscles and tendons aside to replace your knee rather than cutting through them, as in the procedure for traditional knee replacement surgery.
Additionally, your surgeon may not have to turn your kneecap over 180 degrees or dislocate your femur (thighbone) from your tibia (shinbone)—also typical of traditional surgery.
With minimal disruption to the leg bones and soft tissue, the healing process becomes shorter and you may be able to regain mobility in a faster amount of time. Of course, you’ll still need physical therapy to get your knee back to its optimal condition and mobility, but you’ll have less of an incision and bruising to worry about than if you opt for a traditional knee replacement.
Another benefit of same-day knee replacement is less blood loss occurs from a smaller incision, which minimizes the risk of surgical complications. You’ll most likely experience less pain and a more rapid return to your usual activities than if you had to spend several days in the hospital.
Minimally invasive, same-day knee replacement surgery requires advanced training and specially designed surgical tools. The orthopedic surgeons at Orthocenter have the training and experience needed to expertly perform this outpatient procedure, giving you peace of mind that you’re receiving the highest standard of care. It’s their goal to get you back to living your active lifestyle as quickly as possible, with the elite-level medical practices for which they’re known.
If you’ve been considering replacing your knee because of osteoarthritis, an old sports injury, or another degenerative joint condition, but you don’t want to endure a lengthy hospital stay and recovery period, same-day, outpatient knee replacement surgery may be ideal.
To learn if you’re a candidate for outpatient knee surgery, call the Orthocenter New Jersey office that’s closest to you, or request an appointment for a consultation using the convenient online booking tool.
