The hospital stay is about one or two nights. Most patients after hip replacement surgery go home the next day after a one-night stay. Depending upon the time of the day the patient undergoes surgery, they may need to stay one additional night if they get out of the operating room late during the day.
Orthopedic surgeons have now started doing hip replacements on an ambulatory surgery centers. However, it is critical to have the right patient selected for a procedure to be done in an ambulatory surgery center. Before the patient is discharged from the ambulatory surgery center or from a hospital the patient is evaluated by case management as well as physical therapist to ensure it is safe for the patients to be going home. We ensure patients can safely do the activities that they do at home.
Patients, who have no help or who are unable to do the activities of daily living, go to a rehab facility. Patients after hip replacement surgery going to rehab facility has significantly decreased over the past several years.