First Reported Series of Outpatient Total Knee Arthroplasty in the Middle East

BACKGROUND: Outpatient total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is becoming more commonplace in the United States. Alternatively, the current practice in the Middle East involves an inpatient stay of 7-10 days in the hospital after TKA. This study reports the early results of the first reported series of outpatient TKA performed on patients in the Middle East and compares the clinical and functional outcomes with those of patients who underwent inpatient TKA. METHODS: Eighty-eight patients underwent TKA (inpatient: 44 and outpatient: 44) using the modified intervastus approach in 2 hospitals in the Middle East from 2017 to 2019. Clinical and functional outcomes were assessed by recording the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, and knee range of motion (ROM) preoperatively, on the day of surgery, and postoperatively at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months. RESULTS: Two patients undergoing outpatient TKA had complications: one patient suffered a periprosthetic fracture on postoperative day 10 after a fall, and the other patient had drainage on postoperative day 5. No complications occurred in the inpatient TKA cohort. There were no significant differences observed in the VAS scores or knee ROM numbers recorded for inpatient and outpatient TKA groups at any of the follow-up periods. Overall, the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, VAS, and ROM significantly improved 6 months after surgery compared with preoperative values for both inpatient and outpatient TKA groups. CONCLUSIONS: Outpatient TKA was safely implemented when compared with inpatient TKA, with satisfactory results. A total of 2 complications were seen in this study, which we believe are unrelated to the patient’s discharge status. The concept of outpatient TKA using the modified intervastus approach was very well accepted by the patients in this study and can potentially be applied safely elsewhere in the region.