Safety and efficacy of day-case hip and knee arthroplasty in the NHS: a nationwide UK cohort study

Day-case hip and knee arthroplasty has been demonstrated to be safe and feasible, with comparable complication rates to the traditional inpatient setting. However, within the context of the NHS, it is currently associated with higher rates of 90-day A&E attendance and readmission. While increasing day-case volumes may help address elective backlogs, it is important to ensure that the appropriate patient selection criteria, optimised peri-operative care, and post-discharge support are in place before this approach is expanded in the UK.