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Feasibility and safety of performing outpatient unicompartmental knee arthroplasty

International Orthopaedics volume 38, pages 443–447 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

Purpose

Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) has a faster short-term recovery than total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility and safety of performing outpatient UKAs in a consecutive group of patients presenting with unicompartmental knee osteoarthritis.

Methods

A total of 105 consecutive patients underwent unicompartmental arthroplasty before noon with the intention of being discharged as an outpatient. All patients followed an established rapid recovery pathway to facilitate a same-day discharge. Post-operative complications and hospital readmissions were retrospectively recorded for all patients at one week and at three months after surgery.

Results

All of the 105 patients (100 %) indicated for outpatient UKA could be discharged home on the same day of surgery. No patients required readmission within the first week post-operatively, while one patient required readmission between week one and week 12. The single patient who required readmission developed a post-operative infection requiring irrigation/debridement with polyethylene liner exchange and intravenous antibiotics.

Conclusion

Using an established, multidisciplinary, rapid recovery protocol, outpatient UKA is safe and feasible in the vast majority of patients.

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Acknowledgments

We acknowledge Elizabeth Thill, R.N. and Sheila Sanders, R.N. for assistance in data collection.

Conflicts of interest

Dr. Cross has no conflicts of interest; Dr. Berger receives royalties from Zimmer, Inc.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Adult Reconstruction and Joint Replacement Division, Hospital for Special Surgery, 535 E 70th St, New York, NY, 10021, USA

    Michael B. Cross

  2. Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, 1611 West Harrison Street, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA

    Richard Berger

Authors
  1. Michael B. Cross
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  2. Richard Berger
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Richard Berger.

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Cross, M.B., Berger, R. Feasibility and safety of performing outpatient unicompartmental knee arthroplasty. International Orthopaedics (SICOT) 38, 443–447 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-013-2214-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-013-2214-9

Keywords

  • Rapid recovery
  • Outpatient
  • Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty
  • Safety
  • Feasibility