Common Outpatient Orthopedic Surgeries

If your doctor recommends surgery, it doesn’t always mean you’ll need to stay in the hospital for a few days with an extensive and painful recovery to follow. Advancements in medical technology have given rise to new treatment methods and surgical techniques that feature shortened recovery times. More importantly, they also reduce or eliminate the time a patient needs to stay in a hospital. These procedures offer several advantages over inpatient surgeries, including convenience and decreased costs.

Let’s look at five common outpatient orthopedic procedures.

Rotator Cuff Repair Surgery

A rotator cuff is a group of four small muscles in the shoulder that allow the upper arm to rotate. If the rotator cuff tears, the muscle’s tendon pulls away from the upper arm’s bone. An orthopedic doctor usually recommends surgery when the pain and problems with activities persist after two or three months of conservative treatment or if the tear is significant in severity.

Before the procedure, a doctor will apply a regional anesthetic, inducing partial sedation. An orthopedic surgeon will use an arthroscope to perform an outpatient rotator cuff repair. They make small incisions during the procedure and route an arthroscope—a narrow tube with a camera—to the tear site. Then they utilize specialized instruments to rebuild the rotator cuff while causing the least stress possible to the surrounding muscles and tissues.

The procedure’s success depends on how effectively the tendon-bone interface recovers. This outpatient surgery typically requires one to two hours in the hospital for recovery. After returning home, the patient will need to rest for a few weeks until the shoulder has fully recovered.

Arthroscopic Knee Surgery

Orthopedic surgeons perform the majority of arthroscopic knee surgeries as outpatient procedures. Knee arthroscopy is a surgical procedure that allows an examination of the knee joint without making a large incision in the skin.

Orthopedic surgeons use arthroscopy to diagnose and treat various knee conditions. A surgeon will insert a tiny camera or arthroscope into the knee joint. This camera sends images to a television monitor, which the surgeon uses to guide microscopic surgical instruments.

Because the arthroscope and surgical equipment are tiny, and the incisions needed to perform the procedure are small, arthroscopic knee surgery is considered minimally invasive. Patients report experiencing less pain and stiffness as a result, and the time it takes to heal is significantly reduced.

Hip Arthroscopy

Hip arthroscopy is a diagnostic procedure used to determine the source of hip discomfort or other joint issues. The orthopedic surgeon will make a few small incisions to create access points for specialized surgical instruments, including the arthroscope. During the procedure, the surgeon may also replace damaged hip parts.

Some of the most common injuries and conditions that arthroscopic hip surgery can help with are:

• Hip impingement
• Removal of painful bone spurs
• Labral tear repair
• Inflamed joint lining

Ankle and foot surgery

We rely on healthy feet and ankles for walking and movement, so speedy healing following an injury is a must. Minimally invasive procedures to repair foot and ankle injuries typically provide the quickest recovery time.

Here are some ankle and foot conditions that outpatient orthopedic surgery can aid:

• Achilles tendon repair
• Ankle replacement
• Bunionectomy to address bunions
• Toe deformity correction
• Fusions
• Fractures

ACL Surgery

One of the main ligaments in the knee is the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). It’s diagonally in front of the knee and provides support when you rotate your leg.

Participating in certain sports, such as basketball and soccer, can subject the ACL to significant strain. These sports involve sudden changes in direction, which puts a lot of stress on the ACL and increases the risk of a partial or total tear.

An orthopedic surgeon can use a tendon graft from another area of the body to repair a damaged ACL. Patients can typically leave the clinic soon after the procedure.

Most athletes and non-athletes return to their average level of functioning within six to nine months after surgery.

Experienced Orthopedic Surgeon in St. Peters, O’Fallon, and Wentzville, MO

Thanks to technological advancements, orthopedic surgeons can perform many minimally invasive surgical procedures in an outpatient setting. If you are experiencing joint or bone pain, Advanced Bone & Joint can provide you with the care you need. Our team includes board-certified orthopedic surgeons with vast experience and a dedication to provide the best patient outcomes.

Call us today at (636) 229-4222 or use our convenient online form to schedule an appointment. We look forward to serving you and helping you live your best life!