Orthopedics & Orthopedic Surgery
Same-Day Joint Replacement Surgery in Sparta
Learn about same-day joint replacement surgery:
- Hip and knee arthroplasty: What you need to know
- Are you a candidate for same-day joint replacement?
- Before your surgery
- After your surgery
Hip and knee arthroplasty: What you need to know
Joint replacement, clinically referred to as total joint arthroplasty (TJA), can be a life-altering procedure, and greatly reduce or eliminate pain and discomfort, and restore your mobility and function. Total joint arthroplasty of the hip (THA) and knee (TKA) are two of the most common surgical procedures performed in the United States.
Thanks in part to state-of-the-art technology and advanced procedures and clinical practices, we offer same-day joint replacement for elective hip and knee joint replacement surgery to improve the quality and outcome you will receive.
We've redesigned the orthopedic care experience and are proud to deliver one of the best programs, where you can recover quicker and leave the hospital as soon as possible. The end result is a better overall joint replacement experience for you.
Are you a candidate for same-day joint replacement?
In general, if you are 75 years of age or less, and in generally good health, you are a candidate for same-day hip and knee replacement procedures.
Other criteria for you to be considered for a same-day discharge include:
- Body mass index of < 40 kg/m2
- Walking without or with limited assistance (cane only) prior to surgery
- No recent history of falls
- Assistance at home during the recovery and rehabilitation period
- No cardiac or respiratory disease for which monitoring is necessary
- No untreated sleep apnea
- No chronic opioid use or opioid addiction
- No history of anesthesia issues
- Absence of any condition that would prevent a same-day discharge
- Unilateral primary hip or knee replacement patients are candidates for same-day procedures.
Some of the criteria for same-day discharge after hip or knee replacements, for example, the age of the patient, are flexible on a case-by-case basis.
Before your surgery
As with all hip and knee replacement surgeries at Mayo Clinic Health System, to be a same-day joint replacement candidate, you must first:
- Learn to access to your medical record through Patient Online Services
This allows 24/7 access to lab results, clinical notes, and medication lists. It also is a way to send a secure message to your health care team, view and schedule upcoming appointments, and pay bills. - Receive preoperative education
A new and improved video format allows you to receive preoperative education from the comfort of your home with your loved ones, (coaches as we call them). - Receive printed materials
Directly following your surgical consult in the clinic, you will receive brief education from a registered nurse and a packet of materials that includes: - Complete standardized prehabilitation protocols before surgery
Nondiabetic patients are instructed to do carb-loading before surgery
Adding carbohydrates to your body before surgery may improve your overall well-being and metabolism, and may decrease nausea and vomiting after surgery. We instruct our patients to eat a well-balanced meal the night before surgery. We also provide three bottles of a clear carbohydrate drink to consume the night before surgery as well as the morning of surgery.
The Orthopedics Department will work to optimize your health prior to surgery by asking you to complete a history and physical evaluation. If you have any underlying chronic conditions, like diabetes, your disease state should be stable and well-managed before surgery. You may be counseled on nutrition and weight loss, and you may have specific exercises prescribed to increase your physical strength and endurance prior to surgery.
Select a coach to help you
One of the biggest barriers to going home the same day of your surgery is simply a matter of confidence, rather than being unable to meet the requirements for discharge. Coaching patients through the process of joint replacement and instilling in them the confidence that they can do it is critical both before surgery and during recovery.
We encourage you to have a coach who will help you through this process and be available to support you at home. A coach could be a spouse, other adult family member, or a close friend who can be with you throughout the first one to two weeks after surgery.
Surgery day details
Same-day joint replacement surgeries are scheduled earlier in the day to give you as much time as possible to recover from the anesthesia and to navigate all of the postoperative tasks and milestones you will need to complete in order to go home the same day.
The most current and up-to-date anesthesia and surgical techniques are used to promote a comfortable surgery with rapid recovery. These techniques allow you to be alert and engaged immediately after your surgery and be able to drink, have a light snack, and take medications in the very early stages of recovery. The quicker you can regain your strength, the earlier you can achieve mobility and begin your physical therapy process earlier in the day. Early mobility and pain management remain a continued focus of your entire recovery period.
We will continue to care for you well after discharge. Some of our patients need Physical Therapy sessions after being discharged home to help improve mobility.
After your surgery
While you may be an ideal candidate for same-day joint replacement at the outset, each case must still meet all of the rigorous postoperative discharge metrics to be released. Just because you are designated a same-day patient at the beginning of your surgery process does not guarantee you may go home that day. Our goals are always the safety and well-being of you, our patient. Therefore, if your circumstances dictate, your care and discharge from the hospital will be not be rushed.
You will need to be able to:
- Move independently or with minimal assistance, and have a caregiver at home
- Show you can successfully negotiate stairs if there are stairs at home
- Exhibit stable blood pressure and other vital signs
- Urinate
- Control your pain with oral pain medications
Pain medicine
The idea of being in pain after surgery is a normal fear to have. Our team provides pain-reducing measures that start in the surgery center prior to you even entering the operating room. We continue providing pain reducing measures until you are discharged home.
Along with traditional pain medications, alternative pain management strategies such as deep breathing, relaxation, and position changes, are also demonstrated by our team to provide you with optimal pain control.
Prior to being discharged, our provider and nursing teams review the best ways for you to take pain medications to control any pain you may experience while at home. Learn about pain management options.
The day after your discharge, a registered nurse from the Orthopedics Department will provide you with a follow-up call. This call will address pain management as it applies to your situation, and any additional questions you may have.
Rehabilitation after surgery
Your rehabilitation therapy begins within two hours of your surgery, taking place in the Day Surgery Unit. Your rehabilitation will continue at home for as long as prescribed based on your needs and goals. Planning for and executing your postoperative rehabilitation plan is a collaborative effort between you, your surgeon and physical therapist.
Total joint replacement patients have a two-week, post-operative visit in Orthopedics. This is a face-to-face visit so your care team can assess the incision and bandages. The three-month and one-year post-operative appointments are conducted virtually.
The big picture
Joint replacement procedures — same-day discharge or otherwise — are comprehensive and collaborative pathways of care — from preoperative screening and counseling — through postoperative recovery and outpatient rehabilitation. Our orthopedic surgeons partner with you to optimize your health prior to surgery, to give you the best chance of a rapid recovery and positive outcome.