Are functional outcomes and early pain affected by discharge on the day of surgery following total hip and knee arthroplasty?

Background and purpose — Outpatient total knee and total hip arthroplasty (TKA and THA) has been shown to be feasible and safe in selected patients. However, little data is available on functional outcome and early pain in patients discharged on the day of surgery (DOS). We investigated patient-reported outcomes at 1 year and early pain in outpatient TKA and THA patients discharged on the day of surgery (DOS) (DDOS) compared with patients scheduled for outpatient surgery but not discharged on the DOS (nDDOS).

Patients and methods — Prospective data on 261 consecutive patients scheduled for outpatient TKA (n = 126) and THA (n = 135) were collected. 37% of TKA patients and 33% of THA patients were discharged on the DOS. Pain scores at rest and activity and use of morphine were registered on postoperative days 1–7. Oxford Knee Score (OKS) and Oxford Hip Score (OHS) were collected preoperatively and at 3 and 12 months’ follow-up.

Results — DDOS and nDDOS patients were similar in respect to age, sex, procedure type (TKA vs. THA), or preoperative OKS or OHS. Neither OKS nor OHS differed between groups at 3 and 12 months’ follow-up. Pain at rest and activity and use of morphine did not differ between the 2 groups on days 1–7.

Interpretation — In patients scheduled for outpatient TKA and THA, we found similar patient-reported outcomes both early and at 1 year in those discharged on the DOS and those who had at least 1 overnight stay.