Strides in orthopedic surgery have led to a unique procedure at Olathe Medical Center that gets you home faster and healing just as quickly. Take it from Kelly Crahan who received the first outpatient hip replacement at Olathe Medical Center (OMC).

“Before my surgery, I had to do my chores like vacuuming, mowing and grocery shopping on separate days because it was so painful,” Kelly said. “Now that I’ve had the surgery and recovered, I’m able to do all of these on the same day.”

Kelly was familiar with joint pain. She received bilateral knee replacements on both knees in 2011 from the specialists at Olathe Health Johnson County Orthopedics and Sports Medicine (JCO). Years later, she started feeling a sharp pain in her hip that wouldn’t go away, and it was beginning to affect her knees. She sought help from Neel Jiwanlal, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at JCO.

He recommended a new procedure at OMC – outpatient hip replacement.

“We developed a rapid recovery protocol to get patients out of the hospital on the same day as their procedure, which gives patients the same surgical outcomes as an inpatient hip replacement,” Dr. Jiwanlal said. “Kelly was an ideal candidate for this procedure because of her overall health, support from her husband, and she had already demonstrated great success after her total knee replacements.”

In June 2020, Kelly had her procedure. Three days before her surgery, she received a pre-procedure COVID-19 test, which is a requirement for most elective procedures at this time. Even though she was going into the hospital during a pandemic, Kelly says she was never afraid.

“My husband works in the surgery department at OMC, so I know all the protocols he follows to keep patients safe,” Kelly said. “I also knew I was going home the same day, which meant I wouldn’t be spending much time in the hospital.”

Shortly after surgery, Kelly was up and walking with the help of Bruce DeLeon, RN, who also cared for her after her knee replacements. By 5:30 p.m., she was in her car heading home. After a night of rest, she immediately started home physical therapy exercises to get her body back to normal.

“I used a walker for about three weeks, and went back to working remotely in about eight days,” Kelly said. “After four weeks, I was vacuuming, and at six weeks, I was mowing, swimming and driving. Now, I’m back to normal and can even reach down to itch my ankle! If you’re considering getting the surgery, I would tell you not to put it off. I’m glad I did it.”

“It’s been great to see Kelly’s recovery,” Dr. Jiwanlal said. “The results of outpatient hip replacement are the same as the inpatient surgery for patients who are appropriate candidates. The outpatient alternative allows patients to recover in the comfort of their own home, avoid prolonged hospital stays, and experience similar outcomes as those who stay in the hospital.”

If you’d like to see if you’re a candidate for outpatient hip replacement, contact JCO at 913-782-1148.