Knee-joint replacement is surgery to replace all or part of the knee joint with a man-made or artificial joint. The artificial joint is called a prosthesis.

Below are questions you may want to ask your surgeon or health care provider about the surgery.

What to ask your doctor about knee replacement - before; Before knee replacement - doctor questions; Before knee arthroplasty - what to ask your doctor

How do I know if knee replacement surgery will help me?

• Is there any harm in waiting?
• Am I too young or too old for knee replacement?
• What else can be done for knee arthritis besides surgery?
• Which type of replacement would benefit me?

How much does knee replacement surgery cost?

• How do I find out if my insurance will pay for knee replacement surgery?
• Does insurance cover all of the costs or just some?
• Does it make a difference which hospital I go to?

Is there anything that I can do before the surgery so it will be more successful for me?

• Are there exercises I should do to make my muscles stronger?
• Should I learn to use crutches or a walker before I have the surgery?
• Do I need to lose weight before surgery?
• Where can I get help quitting smoking or not drinking alcohol if I need to?

How can I get my home ready before I even go to the hospital?

• How much help will I need when I come home? Will I be able to get out of bed?
• How can I make my home safer for me?
• How can I make it easier to get around in my home?
• How can I make it easier for myself in the bathroom and shower?
• What type of supplies will I need when I get home?
• Do I need to rearrange my home?
• What should I do if there are steps that go to my bedroom or bathroom?

What are the risks or complications of the surgery?

• What can I do before surgery to make the risks lower?
• For which of my medical problems (such as diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure) do I need to see my provider?
• Will I need a blood transfusion during or after the surgery? What about donating my own blood before the surgery so it can be used during the surgery?
• What is the risk of infection from surgery?

What will the surgery be like?

• How long will the surgery last?
• What type of anesthesia will be used? Are there choices to consider?
• What will be done to relieve the pain?

What will my stay in the hospital be like?

• How soon will I be getting up and moving around?
• Will I have a catheter in my bladder?
• Will I have physical therapy in the hospital?
• What other types of treatment or therapy will I have at the hospital?
• How long will I stay in the hospital?
• When will I go home after surgery?
• Do I need to go somewhere else for rehabilitation before going home?

Will I be able to walk when I leave the hospital?

Do I need to stop taking any medicines before my surgery?

• Aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), or other arthritis medicines?
• Vitamins, minerals, herbs, and supplements?
• Other prescription medicines that my other providers may have given me?

What should I do the night before my surgery?

• When do I need to stop eating or drinking?
• What medicines should I take the day of surgery?
• When do I need to be at the hospital?
• What should I bring with me to the hospital?
• Do I need to use a special soap when I bathe or shower?

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons website. Total knee replacement. orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/treatment/total-knee-replacement. Updated June 2020. Accessed May 12, 2023.

Mihalko WM. Arthroplasty of the knee. In: Azar FM, Beaty JH, eds. Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 7.