Fast Track Surgery in Hip and Knee Arthroplasty

This book brings together a comprehensive set of chapters that cover the basic principles of fast track surgery, clinical enhancements, but also important aspects of project management and change management in Hip and Knee Arthroplasty.

Although the value of care pathways and fast track surgery are  probably well known by almost everyone, there are still too many differences in arthroplasty care not only around the world, but also within countries. How can it be that the fast track principles are implemented so poorly? Probably because it looks so simple, yet it's so complex that many doctors don't know where to start. 

This handy book, published in collaboration with Esska, provides an easy-to-consult guide that summarize the most important notions in a concise, accessible way.

Nanne Kort is an orthopedic surgeon and medical director of CortoClinics. CortoClinics is the first orthopedic clinic in Europe dedicated exclusively to hip and knee osteoarthritis.  He was born in Curacao, he attended medical school at the University of Utrecht and did his orthopedic residency at Groningen. In 2007 he defended his PhD on unicompartmental knee arthroplasty. He is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in adult hip and knee reconstruction. Dr. Kort is active within ISAKOS, ESSKA and European Knee Associates, which he chaired from 2018-2020. Dr Nanne Kort is an authority on the conservative and operative treatment of hip and knee osteoarthritis. He also gives lectures throughout Europe on digitization in orthopedic healthcare and optimizing care plans. In 2018, he realized his dream of establishing his orthopedic center: CortoClinics.

Michael T. Hirschmann is an affiliated professor at Basel University and head of orthopaedic surgery and traumatology at Kantonsspital Baselland, Bruderholz, Switzerland. He is also the medical director of the center of musculoskeletal diseases at Bruderholz and serves as head of a research group at department of clinical research (DKF) at University of Basel, Switzerland focusing on the knee joint. He has published over 300 academic publications in knee surgery as well as several textbooks focused on knee related research. His research focus has been on diagnostics and treatment of knee injuries involving the cartilage, meniscus or ligaments, diagnostics and treatment of patients with OA and in particular on unhappy patients after knee arthroplasty surgery. Another major research focus lies on the evaluation and development of 3D imaging such as CT, MRI and SPECT/CT on orthopaedic purposes. He is considered a leading authority on knee injuries and degenerative knee problems as this is a substantial portion of his clinical practice. He has spoken widely across the globe on evidence-based approaches to diagnose and treat knee related problems such as knee injuries or osteoarthritis. For his research and contributions Prof. Hirschmann has received more than 50 national and international awards among those the Swiss Quality Award, the ESSKAR or AAOS best scientific exhibit award.

Rafael Sierra is an orthopedic surgeon and Chair, Division of Adult Reconstruction, at Mayo Clinic where he has won awards and currently serves on several committees.  He attended medical school in Colombia, performed a research fellowship at the University of Miami, completed his residency at Mayo Clinic, and completed a European fellowship in hip reconstruction.  He is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in adult hip and knee reconstruction, reimplantation, and infection.  Dr. Sierra is a member of Advanced Network for Conservation of Hip Outcomes Research, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Association of Hip & KneeSurgeons, American Medical Association, Colombian Orthopedic Society and SCCOT, Maurice E. Muller Foundation of North America, and Mid-America Orthopaedic Association.  His research interests are femoroacetabular impingement, osteonecrosis of the femoral head, young hip disorders, and prospective randomized trials in hip arthroplasty on which he has written several papers and given talks around the world.  Dr. Sierra currently resides in Rochester, Minnesota, with his wife and two children.

Martin Thaler works at the Medical University of Innsbruck at the Department of Orthopedics. He is the deputy director of the Orthopaedic and Trauma department, the largest one in Austria. He is an orthopedic and trauma surgeon, specialized on hip pathologies and oncology. As an Associate Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at the Medical University of Innsbruck, Martin Thaler trains residents and colleagues from all over the world in hip courses held in Innsbruck. He is incharge for student education in orthopedics at the University. Martin Thaler has a background in financing, having received a Master's degree in managing from the University of Krems. He finished also a Master´s degree in Business Administration from the Middlesex University London. His areas of expertise include minimally invasive total hip replacements, complex revision surgery, femuroacetabular impingement surgery, oncologic surgery as well as fracture treatment of the hip. As the head of the certified arthroplasty center Innsbruck and the hip and tumor team. He is the treasurer of the European Hip Society (EHS) and member of other important orthopaedic societies (AAOS, AAHKS, EMSOS, AMSOS, ÖGO, ICJR, ISOLS). He published around 100 peer reviewed papers and contributed to many orthopaedic books. He is an international well known speaker for arthroplasty.