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(HealthDay News) Same-day discharge (SDD) is becoming more common for both total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA), according to a study recently published online in the Journal of Arthroplasty.

Eytan M. Debbi, M.D., Ph.D., from the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, and colleagues used the PearlDiver All-Payer database to assess trends in primary, elective THA/TKA cases between 2010 and 2017.

The researchers found that of the 1,789,601 patients identified (68.8% TKA and 31.2 percent THA), 2.9% of TKAs and 2.2% of THAs were SDD. There was an increase in annual SDD rates, with a 15.8% mean annual change for SDD-THA and 11.1% for SDD-TKA. SDD patients were significantly younger and had fewer comorbidities.

Overall, there was a slightly higher risk for complications requiring readmission for SDD-TKA versus non-SDD-TKA (odds ratio, 1.14; 95% confidence interval, 1.07 to 1.21; P < 0.001). For THA, there was no significant difference observed between SDD and non-SDD (odds ratio, 1.03; 95% confidence interval, 0.94 to 1.13; P = 0.49).

SDD-THA led to more mechanical complications than SDD-TKA, but fewer pulmonary embolisms. There was a trend toward a higher risk for complications for SDD-THA versus SDD-TKA (odds ratio, 1.19; 95% confidence interval, 0.99 to 1.44; P = 0.05).

“SDD is becoming more common and likely safe with appropriate patient selection and postoperative monitoring,” the authors write.

One author disclosed financial ties to the biomedical industry.

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