Same-Day Hip & Knee Replacement at a Surgery Center
Hip and knee replacement no longer means a hospital stay. I do most of my joint replacements at Capital Orthopaedic Surgery Center in Germantown, and the large majority of my patients are walking the day of surgery and sleeping in their own bed that night. Here’s what that looks like, and how to find out if it’s right for you.
Key takeaways
- Most of my hip, knee, and partial knee replacements are done at Capital Orthopaedic Surgery Center in Germantown, a surgery center built around orthopedic surgery.
- My patients are up and walking the day of surgery, and the large majority go home the same day.
- If you’re healthy enough for joint replacement, there’s a good chance you’re a candidate. We decide together at your visit.
- Physical therapy comes to your house for the first couple of weeks, and my office checks in the next day.
- Medicare and private insurance cover hip and knee replacement at the surgery center.
If you need a hip or knee replacement, you probably don’t need a hospital stay. Most of my joint replacements are done at a surgery center, and the large majority of my patients are walking the day of surgery and sleeping in their own bed that night.
Where I do surgery
My main surgery center is Capital Orthopaedic Surgery Center in Germantown, Maryland, on Seneca Meadows Parkway. It’s an ambulatory surgery center built around orthopedic surgery, and patients from both my Washington, D.C. and Germantown offices have their surgery there.
The surgeries I do there are mostly:
- Total hip replacement, usually through the direct anterior approach
- Total knee replacement
- Partial knee replacement
It’s a full hip or knee replacement, the same operation you’d have in a hospital. The difference is where you recover: at home.
Who can have it
If you’re healthy enough for a hip or knee replacement, there’s a good chance you’re a candidate for the surgery center. Patients with more complex health needs, or who need a larger revision surgery, have their surgery at the hospital, Johns Hopkins Sibley Memorial in Northwest D.C. We make that decision together at your visit.
Your surgery day
- Spinal anesthesia instead of general anesthesia, so you wake up clear-headed.
- A pain plan built for going home, started before surgery and continued after.
- Up and walking the same day. You’ll get up with help soon after surgery.
- Home that afternoon, once you’re up and comfortable.
For the full details on how this works, see how I get patients home the same day.
Once you’re home
- Physical therapy comes to you. A therapist visits your house for about the first two weeks.
- We check in. My office typically calls you the next day.
- A doctor is always on call through my office if you have a question.
For what the first weeks look like, see the hip and knee recovery timelines.
Insurance
Medicare and private insurance cover hip and knee replacement at the surgery center. My office checks your plan before surgery.
Is it right for you?
If hip or knee pain is limiting your life, the first step is a visit. I’ll examine you, look at your X-rays, and tell you honestly whether you need a replacement. If you do, we’ll talk about having it at the surgery center and getting you home the same day.
See me in D.C. or Germantown
I see patients at my offices in Washington, D.C. and Germantown, Maryland. Request an appointment.
Frequently asked questions
Is knee replacement done as outpatient surgery?
It can be, and for most of my patients it is. I do total and partial knee replacements at Capital Orthopaedic Surgery Center in Germantown, and most patients walk the same day and go home that afternoon.
Can you go home the same day after a hip replacement?
Yes. I use the direct anterior approach for most hip replacements, and the large majority of my hip patients are walking the day of surgery and go home the same day.
Where do you do same-day hip and knee replacement?
At Capital Orthopaedic Surgery Center, 20680 Seneca Meadows Parkway in Germantown, Maryland. Patients from both my Washington, D.C. and Germantown offices have surgery there.
Who is a candidate for same-day joint replacement?
If you’re healthy enough for a hip or knee replacement, there’s a good chance you’re a candidate. Patients with more complex health needs, or who need a larger revision surgery, have surgery at the hospital. We’ll decide together at your visit.
Does Medicare cover joint replacement at a surgery center?
Yes. Medicare and private insurance plans cover hip and knee replacement at the surgery center. My office will check your specific plan before surgery.
Will I have physical therapy at home?
Yes. A physical therapist comes to your house for about the first two weeks, so you don’t have to travel while you’re getting started.
References
This article is for general education and is not a substitute for personalized medical advice. Recovery timelines vary by patient, procedure, medical history, and surgeon-specific protocol. Please consult Matthew Harb, M.D. about your specific condition.
What patients say
“A really smooth operation — I was discharged the same day and basically able to walk easily within a day.”
“I walked into the surgical center in great pain and walked out with a new knee and a renewed person.”
“My full knee replacement is a big success — six months after surgery I’m hiking and kayaking again.”
Keep learning
How I Get 90% of Hip & Knee Patients Home the Same Day
More than 90% of my hip and knee replacement patients go home the same day as surgery — and many are walking within minutes of reaching the recovery area. That isn’t one medication, implant, or trick. It’s a system: careful preparation, short-acting spinal anesthesia, multimodal non-opioid pain control, minimally invasive surgery, blood-conservation, and physical therapy that starts the same day.
Read articleHip ReplacementDirect Anterior Hip Replacement: A Surgeon’s Guide
The direct anterior approach reaches the hip through a natural plane between the muscles, rather than detaching them. For the right patient, that muscle-sparing technique can mean a more comfortable early recovery and a lower dislocation risk profile. Here is an honest look at what it is, why many patients value it, and who it suits best.
Read articleKnee ReplacementPartial (Unicompartmental) Knee Replacement
Not every arthritic knee needs the whole joint replaced. When arthritis is confined to just one part of the knee, a partial (unicompartmental) knee replacement resurfaces only that worn compartment and leaves the healthy parts — and your own ligaments — intact. For the right candidate it can mean a smaller operation, a more natural-feeling knee, and often a quicker recovery. The key word is candidate: careful selection is everything.
Read articleHave questions about your hip or knee?
Schedule a consultation with Dr. Harb to discuss your options and build a plan to get you back to an active life.
Not ready to book? Read how to choose a hip or knee surgeon