Integrated Care Pathways in Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty

Abstract

Integrated Care Pathways in Adult Reconstruction refer to perioperative patient care programs designed to reduce the time to functional recovery after total joint arthroplasty surgery. The main objective of such protocols is to reduce costs and resource utilization without compromising quality of care or patient satisfaction.

Integrated Care Pathways are stepwise multidisciplinary programs combining preoperative preparation, intraoperative care, and postoperative methods that positively influence postoperative recovery: patients, surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, physiotherapists and occupational therapists are all active participants. This editorial reviews the state of the art of international “fast-track” total knee and hip protocols highlighting that the optimization of multidisciplinary pathways for joint arthroplasty might reduce morbidity and result in shorter length of stay.