Fast-track THA and TKA is a dynamic process combining clinical and logistical enhancements to ensure the best outcome for all patients regarding faster early functional recovery and reduced morbidity. Focus is on reducing convalescence by ensuring a smooth pathway with the best available clinical treatment from admission to discharge – and beyond. Main focus areas include pain treatment, mobilization, organizational aspects, traditions, and care principles. Outcome is typically evaluated as: a) length of stay in hospital (LOS), patient satisfaction, and reduced convalescence in the form of earlier achievement of functional milestones; b) safety aspects (reduced morbidity and mortality in the form of complications and readmissions in general and dislocations/manipulations in specific); c) feasibility (can the track be applied to other subgroups of patients, i.e. bilaterals or revisions?); and d) economic savings. Favorable outcomes regarding all these parameters have been documented for fast-track THA and TKA which has also resulted in the development of a Rapid Recovery Programme (Biomet).

LOS is now 1–2 days for unselected patients in leading departments with few readmissions, high patient satisfaction and economic savings. In Denmark, the nationwide median LOS is now 4 days and improved logistic features include homogeneous entities, regular staff, high level of continuity, preoperative information including intended LOS, admission on the day of surgery and functional discharge criteria. The improved clinical features include both intraoperative (spinal anesthesia, local infiltration analgesia (LIA), plans for fluid therapy, small standard incisions, no drains, compression bandages and cooling) and postoperative (deep venous thrombosis prophylaxis starting 6–8 hours postoperatively, multimodal opioid-sparing analgesia, early mobilization and discharge when functional criteria are met) facilitating early rehabilitation and discharge.

Future challenges include identification of high-pain responders to improve multimodal pain treatment; identification of high-risk patients regarding complications in fast-track set-ups; how to reduce postoperative cognitive dysfunction; how to reduce orthostatic intolerance; and when how and to whom to initiate and give rehabilitation.