Los Angeles-based Cedars-Sinai launched a joint replacement recovery program that leverages spinal and regional anesthesia to help patients walk sooner and return home faster after surgery.
The enhanced recovery pathway integrates spinal and regional anesthesia, updated surgical techniques and coordinated care to reduce pain and shorten recovery time. Nearly 80% of the orthopedic department’s joint replacement patients now walk and go home within 24 hours of surgery, up from 68% in 2022, according to a Feb. 16 news release.
Anesthesiologists use spinal blocks and nerve catheters to reduce opioid use and accelerate mobility. Surgeons are also using tissue-sparing approaches and, in some cases, avoiding tourniquets to minimize trauma and improve outcomes.
Patient education and preoperative screening help identify those most likely to benefit, with plans underway to expand the protocol to other procedures, including robotic prostate surgery.
