You may know someone who had hip or knee replacement surgery and went home the same day. In the past, hip and knee replacement surgery required a hospital stay lasting several nights. With advances in procedural techniques, anesthesia medications, pain management and rehabilitation, some people can now have a joint replacement surgery without spending a night in the hospital.

Your overall health is important and can have a major impact on how well you do after hip or knee replacement surgery. It is important to discuss your health with your physician so they can help you prepare in the time leading up to surgery. Your surgeon will want to know your health history, surgical history, medicines you are taking, allergies you may have, family history and social activities. You will also likely have a discussion about optimizing your health before surgery.

Patients with advanced arthritis of the hip may be candidates for either traditional total hip replacement (arthroplasty) or hip resurfacing (hip resurfacing arthroplasty). Each of these procedures is a type of hip replacement, but there are important differences. Your orthopaedic surgeon will talk with you about the different procedures and which operation would be best for you.

When you’ve made the decision to have joint replacement surgery, use these resources to supplement discussions with your surgeon.

If you have had hip or knee replacement surgery, you are probably concerned about discomfort in the days following your surgery. It is important to understand that at some point after surgery, you will experience some level of pain – particularly with activity and physical therapy.

Hip and knee surgeons are not surprised when they find that someone who comes into the office for a problem had a hip or knee replacement done many years prior without any further follow up. Many people are unaware that they should follow up with their surgeon as part of the long-term care for joint replacements. Despite most hip and knee replacements now lasting for 15-20 years, it is important to follow up and not take your new joint for granted.

“Doctor, where will I go after surgery?” This is one of the most common questions asked by those planning for a hip or knee replacement surgery.

One of the most common complaints after total joint replacement is difficulty sleeping. The most common cause of sleep disruption is pain. It has been reported that more than half of patients wake up with pain after joint replacement.

While it may seem appealing to have half of a surgery compared to a full surgery, it is important to understand the differences between a unicompartmental (partial) and a total knee replacement surgery. Each type of knee replacement surgery is unique and has its own outcomes after surgery.

If you are allergic or sensitive to metal, then it is important to alert your surgeon prior to having joint replacement surgery. The most common metal allergy is nickel, which is found in very small quantities in knee implants and in some hip implants. While up to 14% of people will have some reaction to certain metal allergy tests, metal allergy is a very rare cause of failure in knee replacements.