Dr. Peter Krause Performs First Outpatient Total Hip Arthroplasty at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - New Orleans
Elaine A. Doré Endowed Chair in Orthopedics, Dr. Peter Krause, conducted the first outpatient total hip replacement at LSUHSC. The surgery was performed at the Ochsner Medical Center in Kenner. Dr. Krause and his team adhered to standards outlined by the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons (AAHKS).
“I am happy that we have the systems, care pathways, and treatments that make outpatient total joint arthroplasty possible between LSU and our hospital partners,” said Dr. Krause. A position statement from the AAHKS emphasizes the need for improved quality and safety outcomes, stating, “the essential elements of an outpatient surgery program are multiple and are focused around minimizing complications, maximizing patient safety and discharging the patient to an appropriate and safe environment. These essential program elements involve all aspects of the perioperative care continuum starting from the initial encounter with the patient considering hip or knee replacement all the way through the surgical procedure and including the postoperative period until the patient has safely recovered.”
The essential elements identified that require optimization are:
- Patient selection (on medical grounds)
- Patient education and expectation management (e.g. preoperative “joint school”)
- Social support and environmental factors (family or professional outpatient support)
- Clinical and surgical team expertise
- Institution facility or surgery center factors (history of successful teamwork and an environment conducive to optimizing surgical outcomes)
- Evidence-based protocols and pathways for pain management, blood conservation, wound management, mobilization, and venous thromboembolism prophylaxis.