Many different orthopaedic procedures can be handled as outpatient or “same-day” surgeries at an Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC). If you’re facing outpatient surgery, it probably means your condition isn’t so severe that it requires extensive observation afterward. That can give some patients the impression that outpatient centers are smaller, with less access to the experts, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Thanks to advanced technology and newer anesthesia methods, many kinds of surgery are performed on an outpatient basis so patients can go home that same day. So much so that it’s now possible to treat the majority of orthopaedic procedures on an outpatient basis. At MidAmerica Orthopaedics, for example, the majority of patients facing surgery will head to the Ambulatory Surgery Center for their same-day procedures.

Ambulatory surgery centers have transformed the outpatient experience for millions of people in the U.S. by giving them a more convenient option for many types of procedures. This is good news for those seeking treatment for any number of musculoskeletal conditions. In fact, more than half of all orthopaedic procedures are now performed on an ambulatory basis.

So, you’ve decided to undergo joint replacement surgery. Congratulations! You’re very likely on your way to a much more active and pain-free lifestyle.

The first thing to know about recuperation from a joint or knee replacement is that it is a gradual process that takes place over a lengthy period of time. Familiarizing yourself with what will happen in the weeks and months following the procedure will help you prepare beforehand so you can feel more confident going in.

Physical Therapy is Crucial to Recovery

While recovering from a hip or joint replacement, most patients must work with a physical therapist to build back their strength and return flexibility to the affected area.

Be sure to work with a Certified Physical Therapist (CPT) who is qualified to provide a proper joint-strengthening program for your recovery. This process is crucial to increasing your mobility as you heal and getting back in shape so you can resume your normal activities. When you partner with a CPT at MidAmerica Orthopaedics, you get every aspect of your treatment – diagnostics, surgery and therapy – taken care of under one roof. 

If chronic pain and stiffness in your arthritic knee prohibit you from climbing a flight of stairs, you may be considering a knee replacement so you can return to your daily activities, as well as your second floor.

More than 450,000 patients undergo a total hip replacement each year. The surgery is a highly successful, long-term treatment of common but serious hip problems, in which implants recreate the ball and socket of a healthy hip.

If a surgeon has recommended the surgery to treat your hip pain, you’re likely contemplating what a total replacement will mean for you. Even if your daily routine has become difficult and other treatments have been ineffective, just the idea of a prosthetic hip can be scary. However, the procedure has a strong track record of reducing pain and restoring hip function to patients throughout the country. The success rate 10 years after surgery is between 90-95 percent and continues to be highly effective long after.

Typical conditions that lead to hip replacements are: 

• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Avascular necrosis
• A serious injury

Scoliosis is an abnormal curvature of the spine that typically forms in early childhood. While most cases are so mild they don’t necessitate treatment, some cases have been linked to serious conditions such as muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy. Fortunately, recent developments in youth orthopaedic medicine are making even these cases easier to treat.

If you’re raising children, you’ve likely dealt with more than a few bumps and bruises. As kids get older, their injuries can become a bit more serious due to growth spurts, particularly if they’re athletic or play a contact sport.