Hospital stays after surgery can be costly and burdensome for patients and hospital alike. While some surgical procedures require overnight stays for patient safety, most minimally invasive spine surgeries can be performed on an outpatient basis (in other words, with no overnight hospital stay). In this article, we are going to talk about the similarities and differences between inpatient and outpatient surgery.

Inpatient vs. Outpatient Surgery

First, let’s define inpatient and outpatient surgery and discuss the differences between the two. Inpatient surgery is any surgical procedure that requires the patient to stay in the hospital overnight for one or more days. Outpatient procedures, on the other hand, do not require overnight stays. Patients are able to go home the day of their surgery. Decades ago, outpatient surgery was the most popular. But with the advances in technology and technique, inpatient procedures are becoming more and more popular.

Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

Many minimally invasive spine surgeries are done on an outpatient basis. Due to the nature of these procedures (the fact that they are minimally invasive), patients have a quicker recovery time and can do most of their recovering from the comfort of their home. All of the following procedures are typically outpatient surgeries:

• Spinal Fusion
• Discectomy
• Total Disc Replacement

Most patients prefer outpatient procedures if they have the choice because these procedures are less costly than inpatient procedures. However, sometimes a procedure will require a hospital stay – certain surgeries require that the patient be monitored after they wake up.

If you are considering spine surgery, or have tried other conservative treatment methods that do not relieve your back pain, consider minimally invasive surgery. Set up your appointment with Dr. Sinicropi today to see if you are a candidate for one of these procedures – it could be your ticket back to living a pain-free life.

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