How Does Computer-Assisted Orthopedic Surgery Fit in the Fast Track Philosophy?

Historically, CAOS technology offers surgeons specific features and benefits and these are wide-ranging. While we have seen many advances in this technology, its advantage is not just about the specifics, e.g., patient-specific instruments, navigation, augmented reality, or robotic-arm-assisted surgery. The single most significant development of this movement is the introduction of the computer into the operating room and the transformation of the analog surgical procedures into a digital format. It naturally follows that surgical techniques gain precision, accuracy, and reproducibility. But on top of this it produces new data availabilities during planning, execution, and evaluation that were previously not available. These new data fields offer new perspectives on Deming’s Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycles.