Fast Track Arthroplasty Using Local Infiltration Analgesia

Abstract

Fast track arthroplasty is a holistic approach to patients who undergo total hip and knee arthroplasty, a journey or care that begins with setting patient’s expectation, optimising medical status, using intraoperative local anaesthetic infiltra-tion, decreasing narcotics usage either in spinal or post-operative medication, discouraging usage of patient controlled analgesia or urinary catheters, encouraging day of operation mobilisation and optimising post-operative physiotherapy protocols. The use of local infiltration analgesia (LIA) is a good alternative compared to other traditional pain management techniques. The purpose of adoption of LIA technique is to provide comfort from the trauma associated with hip and knee arthroplasty particularly for the first 36 h post-operatively, during the time of high post-operative pain, to facilitate increased post-operative mobilisation and function. LIA is safe and effective to achieve good outcomes, early mobilisation and decreasing length of stay without jeopardising clinical outcomes. This chapter discusses LIA and its multimodal approach to analgesia, regional anaesthesia and early mobilisation that improves overall patient experience and satisfaction. The chapter discusses LIA techniques, wound catheter placement, and postoperative protocol to achieve fast track hip and knee arthroplasty.