Pascal-André Vendittoli, MD, recently performed the first outpatient total hip replacement procedure in Quebec, according to the Montreal Gazette. The procedure took place at Maisonneuve Rosemont Hospital in Montreal, Canada.
Here are five notes:
1. The Montreal Gazette reports that the average hospital stay for a hip replacement is three to five days.
2. The outpatient technique Dr. Vendittoli used relies on multiple factors, including patients being prepped with painkillers and anti-nausea medications for two hours prior to surgery.
3. During surgery, Dr. Vendittoli used minimal anesthetic to reduce any grogginess and cut a small incision to reduce muscle and tissue destruction. After the procedure, this cut was sealed with glue, rather than sutured.
4. This technique is a pilot project at Maisonneuve Rosemont Hospital, being funded by the hospital's foundation. It is part of a clinical study in which 200 patients will undergo knee and hip replacements.
5. Dr. Vendittoli learned the technique from the Chicago-based orthopedic surgeon Richard Berger, MD, who specializes in minimally invasive hip and knee replacements.