An optimized anesthetic protocol for joint arthroplasty should provide effective surgical anesthesia, promote early motor function recovery, and minimize postoperative pain and adverse effects. To meet these goals, we developed the SOLIS anesthesia protocol, which combines chloroprocaine short-acting Spinal anesthesia, an Opioid- and benzodiazepine-free anesthesia, large doses of Local anesthetics for Infiltration, and propofol Sedation. The objectives of this descriptive quality-improvement report were to determine whether the SOLIS protocol would provide effective anesthesia, enhance recovery, offer adequate postoperative pain control and be satisfactory for patients undergoing hip or knee replacement.

It was hypothesized that the SOLIS protocol would meet these four objectives.

We reviewed 906 unilateral joint replacements: 265 total knee arthroplasties (TKAs), 32 unicompartimental knee arthroplasties (UKAs), and 609 total hip arthroplasties (THAs). The protocol efficacy was assessed by the rate of conversion to general anesthesia and the mean motor block duration, time to ambulation, the failure to ambulate on the day of surgery, and patient reported postoperative pain. Adverse events and complications were collected, and a subjective questionnaire was used to assess patients’ satisfaction.

There were no conversions to general anesthesia. The mean motor block duration was 89.7 ± 20.9 (88.0, 47.0–198.0) min, exceeding the mean time from injection to the end of surgery of 74.5 ± 16.5 (71.0, 39.0–140.0) min. On the day of surgery, only 1.3% of patients failed to ambulate. In the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU), the mean pain score was 1.7/10 ± 2.2 (1.0, 0.0–10.0), with 162 (17.9%) patients requiring opioids, which were oral for 85 (53%). Main complications were urinary retention requiring catheterization in eight (0.9%), orthostatic hypotension during the first ambulation was observed in 42 (4.6%). Deep vein thrombosis occurred in two (0.2%), and pulmonary embolism in one (0.1%). Patients rated at 98% their satisfaction with the anesthesia protocol and 96% for the postoperative pain management.

SOLIS is a very effective anesthesia protocol for hip and knee replacement, promoting enhanced recovery with low postoperative pain, and achieving a very high patient satisfaction rate. However, implementing this protocol may require a dedicated arthroplasty team and environment.

IV; continuous case series with no comparison group.