Before surgery questions

All patients are required to attend a preoperative testing session (PAT) at the hospital. Routine blood work and testing will be done during this visit. These results will be reviewed to make sure the patient is healthy enough for surgery. Certain insurance companies will require a clearance letter from the patient's primary care physician. If the patient has any other significant medical problems - such as prior heart disease or strokes - the patient will likely require a clearance letter from their respective specialist. Those specialist may require further testing as well. 

All patient's' daily medication will be reviewed and they will be advised when to stop certain medications. If a patient is on blood thinners, those medications are often stopped up to a week before surgery in order to help limit blood loss.

Blood transfusion after primary joint replacement is very rare. We use certain medications and techniques during surgery to limit blood loss. You do not need to donate your blood before surgery.

You will see your surgeon in the preoperative area before the surgery. He will confirm and mark the correct side for surgery and answer any questions that you may still have. 

There are many factors to consider when predicting how long a joint replacement will last before revision surgery is required. The patient's activity level, age and weight can all have an impact on the life of the implant. Most research shows there is a 1% per year chance that a patient would need a revision surgery. This means if the patient lives another 20 years, then there would be an 80% chance that the joint would still be functioning well.