How to Decrease Length of Hospital Stay After Total Knee Replacement

Hospital stays have been decreasing for hip and knee arthroplasty procedures. Short stay or outpatient procedures were first pioneered in hip replacement; however, short-stay knee replacement is now being routinely performed by some surgeons. Changes in pain control and mobilization have allowed for quicker discharge for knee replacement patients. Combined with specific pathways of care as well as changes in patient expectations and early mobilization, patients can now routinely go home the day after knee replacement. This review seeks to give the reader practical ways to facilitate rapid discharge after knee arthroplasty. (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances 25(1):2–7, 2016) Key words: knee arthroplasty, length of stay, short-stay surgery