Analgaesia, anaesthesia, and rehabilitation for minimally invasive total knee arthroplasty

Compared with conventional total knee arthroplasty, rehabilitation after a minimally invasive procedure is faster. Flexion to 90 degrees is reached in a few days in most patients. Coordination exercises, stair climbing, and mobilisation with one or no crutches are achieved rapidly, and patients can usually return more quickly to their activities of daily living as well as professional and leisure-time activities. This progress is based on new surgical techniques that protect muscles and tendons. To optimize these results, analgaesia protocols and anaesthesia procedures could be improved, and rehabilitation programs should be individualised. Patient education is best started weeks before surgery because a well-motivated patient supports an excellent clinical outcome. New surgical techniques give us the possibility to think about routinely used perioperative procedures and improve them. The aim is to offer a concept of minimally invasive surgical technique and optimized protocols for perioperative anaesthesia, analgaesia, and rehabilitation.