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gery, patients are able to perform straight-leg raises, bend their knees up to
90 degrees and take the first steps toward home.
Outpatient total knee doesn't require a special surgical table. We use a well-
designed attachment that holds the knee in a bent position and locks in place,
so an assistant doesn't have to hold the knee in a proper position for the
entire procedure. This attachment involves placing the patient's foot in a boot
connected to the positioning device, which we can ratchet up and down when
various flexion angles are needed.
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My practice hopes to build surgery centers in the coming years, where we'll
achieve successful outcomes at a fraction of the cost, which many of my high-
volume peers are already doing across the country.
The clear cost savings of performing these procedures outpatient is one of the
biggest benefits, especially from the perspective of insurance carriers, who
understand sending patients home the day of surgery is far less expensive than
hospitalizing them for 3 or 4 days.
Overall healthcare savings is one of the reasons I started doing outpatient
total knees, but an equal driver was patient satisfaction. Why stay in the hos-
pital overnight if you can safely be at home with your family and loved ones?
Most patients like to be aggressive in their recoveries. My patients often
return for their follow-up exams requesting surgery on their opposite knee.
Many patients contact our office requesting information about same-day
total joint replacement.
They're relieved to know it's an option. This is a big change from not too
long ago, when total joint outpatient replacement was not possible. What
was unheard of just 5 years ago is quickly becoming the norm for the
healthy and active patient. OSM
Dr. Mokris (
jeffrey.mok ris@orthoca rolina .com
) is an orthopedic surgeon at
OrthoCarolina in Charlotte, N.C.
O R T H O P E D I C S
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