Surgery is performed on either an inpatient or outpatient basis. Inpatient surgery means that the patient spends at least one night at the surgical facility or a recovery ward before they are discharged home, whereas outpatient surgery means that the patient leaves the surgery center on the same day to continue their recovery at home. Outpatient surgery is typically the preferred method for most patients, but outpatient surgery and recovery isn’t the best fit for all situations. If you hope to recover in the comfort of your home and cut down on some of your expenses by being discharged the same day, you’ll want to do what you can to make outpatient surgery an option. Below, we explain what you can do to make outpatient surgery a possibility, and what to expect from outpatient spine surgery.
Do I Qualify For Outpatient Spinal Surgery?
As we touched on in the introduction, sometimes outpatient surgery just isn’t a possibility depending upon your injury and expected procedure. That said, even if surgery is performed on an inpatient basis, you’ll still likely have a fair amount of recovery to do on your own at home, so some of the following principles still apply or make for good habits to start developing.
For those who may be able to leave the surgery center on the same day, here are some things you’ll want to attempt to control:
- Your Weight – The healthier you are, the faster your body will be able to recover and the less likely it is that you’ll run into complications during or after surgery. Working towards a healthier weight makes you a more ideal candidate for surgery, and it means your spine will handle less stress after surgery.
- Your Prehab – Prehab exercises are a great way to improve your physical function before you go under the knife, and the strides you make before your operation can be the difference between being discharged the same day or having to stay over in the hospital for a night or two. Doing your prehabilitation exercises also help you get in the habit of performing rehabilitation exercises, which you’ll likely need to do following surgery.
- Your Support System – Your surgery center will only discharge you if they feel comfortable releasing you in your current state, and having a good support system in place can help with this process. If you’ll have a ride home and help in your house, the surgery center may allow you to discharge the same day provided you’ve shown enough physical function after surgery. Having a good support system in place can make it easier for you to be discharged the same day.
- Understanding Of Your Rehab And Pain Management – Finally, it’s also important that you understand what will be asked of you during your rehab to regain the most function in your spine. You’ll also need to show that you understand how to effectively and safely take any pain medications before you’ll be discharged, so ask questions during your pre-surgical consultations and after your operation so that you and your care team know that you understand the road ahead.
Outpatient surgery can allow you to recover from the comfort of your home, can cut down on medical expenses and help to reduce the risk of an infection, but you need to control what you can control in order to make that happen. Sometimes your age, related health conditions and your surgery mean that outpatient surgery is not an ideal option, but you can still benefit from keeping the above tips in mind.
So if you are wondering if you qualify for outpatient spine surgery for your upcoming procedure, or if you want to talk to a surgeon to see what type of spinal procedure would be best for your individual situation, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi and the team at the Midwest Spine & Brain Institute. No two situations are the same, but we’ll provide you with an individualized diagnosis and recommendations tailored to your specific situation. For more information or help with your back pain, give our office a call today at (651) 430-3800.
