I. Preoperative Preparation and Patient Selection to Enable Safe and Early Discharge

Evidence-based selection criteria for outpatient arthroplasty
Prehabilitation & optimisation of anaemia and comorbidities
Risk factors: are there strict cut-off values? What truly matters
Psychological preparation & expectation management
Nutritional strategies to enhance recovery and reduce complications
Digital tools for patient education and engagement

II. Anaesthetic and Analgesic Protocols in the Fast-Track Setting

Preemptive & Multimodal analgesia for early mobilisation
Strategies to prevent postoperative nause and vomiting
Spinal vs general anaesthesia: updated evidence
Local infiltration analgesia vs nerve blocks: is a block still needed?
Perioperative Steroids: the optimal protocol for maximum benefit with minimal risk
Analgesia protocols to enable same-day discharge

III. Intraoperative Strategies to Accelerate Recovery and Ensure Safety

Minimally invasive and tissue-sparing surgical techniques
Tranexamic acid protocols: single vs multiple dosing
Tourniquet use vs tourniquet-free TKA
Hypotensive anaesthesia, fluid balance & temperature control
How to avoid urinary catheters and drains use

IV. Employing Digital Innovation, Robotics, and AI to Enhance Outcomes

Robotics and navigation: from alignment philosophy to functional outcomes
Custom-made implants, augmented reality & smart instrumentation
Benefits of personalised, kinematic & functional alignment concepts
AI in patient selection, preoperative planning and workflow optimisation
Patient Apps: Digital Monitoring, Rehabilitation, and Complication Detection

V. Postoperative Care, Early Recovery and Postdischarge Optimisation

Same-day discharge criteria: safety and logistics
Day-0 mobilisation and early physiotherapy protocols
Balancing swelling control with immediate full weight-bearing
Hematoma, wound care & leakage management
Postdischarge enviroment, remote rehabilitation & recovery tracking
Thromboprophylaxis: evolving strategies with fewer injections

VI. Organisation, Teamwork, and Pathway Implementation

Building and coordinating a multidisciplinary fast-track team (surgeon–anaesthesiologist–physiotherapist–nurse)
Practical strategies to overcome partial adoption barriers & achieve full fast-track pathway implementation
Hospital workflow optimisation and adherence to fast-track protocols
Outpatient arthroplasty unit design & resource optimisation
The role of compassionate, patient-centred care from admission to discharge
Data collection, quality control & continuous improvement

VII. Guidelines, Consensus, and Global Perspectives

Keypoints from the International Expert Consensus on Fast-Track Hip and Knee Arthroplasty (ESSKA–EKA, EHS, APAS)
Regional differences and implementation challenges
Lessons learned from high-volume centres worldwide