Management of outpatient orthopedic surgery.

The past few years have witnessed tremendous growth in the number and complexity of orthopedic surgical procedures performed on an outpatient basis. Despite these advances, postoperative pain remains a significant problem that may limit further expansion of outpatient orthopedic surgery. Regional anesthesia plays an important role in day case surgery facilitating fast-tracking, accelerating discharge, reducing unexpected hospital admissions, and providing prolonged pain relief. Continuous peripheral nerve blockade, now possible in this setting, provides excellent perioperative care, with high patient satisfaction and improved rehabilitation scores.