Dr Siram | FAQ

Do patients really leave the same day?

All of Dr. Sirams patients are full weight bearing the same day of surgery and are able to go home a few hours after their surgery has been completed.

Is Minimally Invasive Outpatient Joint Replacement Surgery right for me?

Minimally invasive same day joint replacement surgery can help alleviate the pain and discomfort of arthritis. There are several surgical options for patients suffering from arthritis of the hip or knee a consultation with Dr. Siram would allow you to discuss your surgical options or more conservative, non-surgical approaches to pain management.

What is the sequence of events after I decide to schedule an appointment?

  • An initial consultation
  • A pre-operative testing and education day
  • SURGERY
  • Two or Three post-operative appointments usually 10-14 days from surgery, 1 month from surgery and then 4 months from surgery.
  • An annual visit which would need to be repeated every year for the rest of your life

How is outpatient joint replacement possible/who should have it done?

  • Advances in surgical technology and techniques, which have made the procedure less invasive, as well as the implementation of pre-surgical protocols including multimodal pain and anesthesia management, which has made the procedure less traumatic
  • Orthopedic surgeons agree that outpatient TJA should only be done on patients who are healthy enough to have surgery in such a setting and have the appropriate home setting/support to allow them to be discharged in this manner
  • Things such as overall health and comfort level of the patient are key in our decision making process.

What are benefits of Outpatient Joint replacement?

  • Return home the same day, no hospital overnight stay
  • one on one care by your surgical team
  • Procedures performed in an outpatient setting across the board tend toward lower rates of complications and infections than the same procedures performed in a hospital setting
  • Ease of getting to and from the surgery center without having to navigate a hospital
  • Less stress
  • More comprehensive, customized care.
  • Surgery in a state of the are out patient surgery center with the latest advances in surgerical equipment are available
  • Ambulatory Surgery Centersknown as ASCsare modern health care facilities that allow advanced surgical care to be provide in a focused, highly specialized, and effective way.
  • ASCs are more efficient, result in fewer complications, involve fewer unnecessary tests and procedures, and do not charge exorbitant facility fees
  • Ability to speak one and one with physician and his staff for any questions to be answered at any point throughout the process

What happens on the day of surgery?

  • Arrive to outpatient surgery center or Sibley Memorial hospital 2 hours prior to procedure
  • Meet with the surgical team, includes nurses, anesthesia, OR staff
  • Will receive IV abx, medications for pain control as well as to control nausea
  • Surgery time is about 90 minutes, but will continue to be monitored post operatively for the next few hours
  • Will meet with physical therapist to get you up and walking and show you how to use crutch and/or walker
  • To relieve pain, pain management protocol has been developed and has proven to be highly successful in providing adequate pain relief, both at the surgery center and at home for the first several days.
  • Discharge to home, will hear from surgeon or PA that night
  • Begin outpatient therapy the next day, physical therapy of your choosing
  • Follow up in office with Dr. Siram 10-14 after surgery
  • Post operative management can be varied based on patient needs.