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Hip or knee replacement - before - what to ask your doctor

What to ask your doctor before hip or knee replacement; Hip replacement - before - what to ask your doctor; Knee replacement - before - what to ask your doctor; Hip arthroplasty - before - what to ask your doctor; Knee arthroplasty - before - what to ask your doctor

You are going to have a hip or knee joint replacement surgery to replace all or part of your hip or knee joint with an artificial device (a prosthesis).

Below are some questions you may want to ask your health care provider to help you prepare for your hip or knee replacement.

I Would Like to Learn About:

Questions

Is joint replacement the best treatment for me right now? What other treatments should I think about?

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

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

What are the risks or complications of the surgery?

Will I need a blood transfusion during or after the surgery? Isn't there a way of saving my own blood before the surgery so it can be used during the surgery?

What will the surgery and my stay in the hospital be like?

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

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

What should I do the night before my surgery?

Related Information

Osteoarthritis
Knee joint replacement
Hip joint replacement
Hip pain
Knee pain
Getting your home ready - knee or hip surgery
Hip replacement - discharge
Knee joint replacement - discharge
Taking care of your new hip joint
Hip or knee replacement - after - what to ask your doctor

References

Harkness JW, Crockarell JR. Arthroplasty of the hip. In: Azar FM, Beaty JH, eds. Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 3.

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

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Review Date: 4/24/2023  

Reviewed By: C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, San Francisco, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

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