Questions to ask your doctor before knee replacement
What to ask your doctor about knee replacement - before; Before knee replacement - doctor questions; Before knee arthroplasty - what to ask your doctorKnee-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.
- Questions
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?
References
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.
