Saint Francis Performs Bay Areas Hospital Based, Same Day Hip Replacement Surgery

Dignity Health Saint Francis Memorial Hospital has performed the Bay Area’s first hospital-based, same-day hip replacement surgery. The patient was discharged only 13 hours after surgery, while traditional hip replacement surgeries require an average hospital stay of up to four days.

 

“At Saint Francis, we are committed to advancing treatment and care options for our patients, and are proud to now offer outpatient hip replacement surgery,” said David Klein, MD, MBA, president of Saint Francis Memorial Hospital. “We are thrilled this patient was able to achieve her desired outcome and are happy to hear she’s already back to her normal routine.”

Nicholas Mast, MD, medical director of the Saint Francis Orthopedic Institute, performed the surgery using the less-invasive anterior approach. Surgeons perform this procedure from the front of the patient rather than the back as with traditional hip replacement surgery. This approach lends itself well to outpatient procedures because smaller incisions can decrease complications and requires fewer restrictions after surgery. Patients usually require a shorter hospital stay and thus reduce the cost of care. They also can experience a faster recovery and less postoperative pain.

“Patients heal better in the outpatient environment. There’s less stress, less risk of certain complications, and patients can rest better in their own beds,” said Dr. Mast. “I’m excited to be on the forefront of a procedure that when I was training, used to take patients five or six days in the hospital plus additional weeks at a rehab center before going home. Now we can discharge them in one day to recover more comfortably at home.”

The Saint Francis Orthopedic Institute has performed nearly 1,000 anterior hip replacements since 2012. In addition to hips, the Orthopedic Institute provides a continuum of orthopedic care for knee, shoulder, and spine and neck ailments—from orthopedic evaluation and surgery to acute rehabilitation and outpatient physical therapy.

About Saint Francis Memorial Hospital

Dignity Health Saint Francis Memorial Hospital is an accredited, not-for-profit community hospital that has been providing exceptional healthcare in San Francisco for more than 100 years. Located atop Nob Hill, near downtown San Francisco, Saint Francis is home to the Bothin Burn Center, the largest in Northern California, the Center for Sports Medicine, and the Saint Francis Orthopedic Institute. With its close proximity to downtown San Francisco, Saint Francis also specializes in Occupational Health and Emergency Medicine. Saint Francis has been designated as a Blue Distinction Center for Spine and Hip/Knee Replacement Surgery and is a Certified Stroke Center by the Joint Commission.