Early discharge following a total joint replacement does not increase postoperative complication rates, according to a study published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery.
The researchers identified 31,044 patients who underwent elective total knee arthroplasty and 19,909 patients who underwent elective total hip arthroplasty. They separated these patients into two groups: those who received early discharge (within two days of the procedure) and those who received standard discharge (three to four days after the procedure). The researchers analyzed whether length of stay was associated with readmissions or major complications in the following month.
Here's what you need to know:
1. Early discharge was not an independent risk factor for hospital readmission for either total joint procedure.
2. Early discharge was not associated with major complications following total knee arthroplasty.
3. When analyzing total hip arthroplasty, researchers found that, not only was early discharge not associated with major complications, but early discharge was also a predictor against major complications.
4. Patient comorbidities and perioperative variables were associated with readmissions and major complications — not length of stay.
5. Overall, the early discharge patients were younger and had fewer medical comorbidities than the standard discharge patients.
The researchers concluded that early discharge is safe, and perhaps beneficial, for patients who are appropriately risk-stratified prior to operation.