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🇦🇹 Austria /Health & Science

Rapid Recovery: Patients Recover Much Faster After Knee and Hip Replacements

From Die Presse · () German

Translated from German and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Explainer Named sources Context piece
  • Rapid Recovery protocols aim to shorten hospital stays and begin mobilization soon after knee or hip replacement surgery.
  • The approach can include minimally invasive or robot-assisted surgery, lighter anesthesia, local infiltration therapy and reduced use of drains and urinary catheters.
  • Austrian orthopedic specialist Martin Faschingbauer says customized prostheses can preserve natural movement, although they take longer to produce and cost more.

Patients receiving artificial knees and hips can now leave hospital and regain mobility much faster than in the past. The change comes from a treatment model known as “Rapid Recovery,” which is increasingly gaining ground in Austria.

The concept focuses on speed at every stage while maintaining or improving quality. Martin Faschingbauer, a Vienna specialist in orthopedics and joint replacement, said the goal is to discharge patients as quickly as possible and begin mobilization early. That can involve minimally invasive, sometimes robot-assisted surgery, lighter anesthesia and first steps in the recovery room.

The goal is to discharge patients from hospital and mobilize them again as quickly as possible.

· Martin FaschingbauerHe described the main objective of the Rapid Recovery model.

The fast-track approach also largely avoids wound drains and urinary catheters. Local infiltration therapy is increasingly used in place of full anesthesia in some cases. These measures shorten hospital stays and allow patients to gradually put weight on the new joint sooner, helping them return to everyday life more quickly.

Through this fast-track concept, hospital stays become shorter and the gradual loading of the joints can begin earlier.

· Martin FaschingbauerHe explained how the treatment protocol speeds rehabilitation.

Surgery is preceded by detailed information so patients know what to expect and can prepare. Surgeons also pay more attention to preserving natural movement. For example, mild bow-leggedness, which affects about one-third of men, is now considered when needed. Women are more likely to have knock knees.

Artificial joints were once generally designed around straight legs. Today, customized replacements are used more often when appropriate, based on several criteria and, particularly for complex knees, measurements from computed tomography scans. Faschingbauer said he has custom prostheses made in Switzerland from titanium, cobalt-chromium alloy and polyethylene. Production takes six weeks and costs about 1,300 euros more than standard implants. Denmark leads Europe in adopting Rapid Recovery, while Austria is increasingly following the approach.

The custom-made prostheses made of titanium, cobalt-chromium alloy and polyethylene are produced for me in Switzerland.

· Martin FaschingbauerHe discussed the materials and production of customized implants.
About this summary

Originally published by Die Presse in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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