Joseph Burkhardt, DO, orthopedic surgeon and partner at BrooksideSurgeryCenter in Battle Creek, Michigan, presented a session titled “Unicondylar Knee Replacements in an Outpatient Setting” at the 8th Annual Orthopedic, Spine, and Pain Management Driven ASC Conference held in Chicago at the Westin Michigan Avenue Hotel, June 10-12, 2010.
Dr. Burkhardt, who has performed over 600 Uni Knee procedures in an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) setting, noted the success he has had with this procedure and focused on the advantages of it over total knee replacement. Advantages include reduced cost, patient and physician satisfaction, and lower infection risk. Additional patient benefits include earlier mobilization and recovery, all of which are experienced in the comfort of the patient’s home as opposed to an in-patient hospital environment. Dr. Burkhardt credited the advances in pain management and implant technology with an increased success rate in an ASC setting, reduced recovery time, and decreased need for physical therapy after surgery. Patients who are healthy, relatively young, physically active with good upper arm strength, and have no prior history of narcotics abuse are good candidates for this procedure. Dr. Burkhardt was also joined by the facility’s director of clinical operations, Becky Klein, RN and Sarah Martin, MBA, RN, CASC, regional vice president of operations for Meridian Surgical Partners, the facility’s corporate management partner.
Organized by ASC Communications, Inc., the annual event was attended by over 500 surgeons, ASC owners and administrators, and companies that work with surgery centers. The event provided guidance on improving the profitability of and on operating and establishing orthopedic, spine and pain management driven ambulatory surgery centers.