Joint Replacement Surgery

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Apr 6, 2025.

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What do I need to know about joint replacement surgery?

Joint replacement surgery is done to repair or replace part or all of a joint. The joint may be damaged by injury or disease and can be repaired or replaced with a new one. You may try other treatments before joint replacement surgery, such as steroid injections or medicines. The goals of joint replacement are pain relief and increased function. Knee, hip, and shoulder joints are the most common joints replaced.

How do I prepare for joint replacement surgery?

• Your healthcare provider will talk to you about how to prepare for surgery. Your provider may tell you not to eat or drink anything after midnight on the day of your surgery. Arrange for someone to drive you home and stay with you.
• Some medicines will need to be stopped weeks before surgery. These medicines include blood thinning medicine, such as aspirin and ibuprofen. It also includes some antirheumatic medicines. Make sure your healthcare provider knows all medicines you are taking. Ask how long before surgery to stop taking them.

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What will happen during joint replacement surgery?

• You may be given general anesthesia to keep you asleep and free from pain during surgery. You may instead be given regional anesthesia to keep you numb from the waist down. With regional anesthesia, you may still feel pressure or pushing during surgery, but you should not feel any pain.
• Your surgeon will make an incision over your joint. Your surgeon will remove the damaged parts of your joint and replace them with an implant. The new joint may be made out of metal, plastic, ceramic, or other materials. Your surgeon may secure it with medical cement.
• Your surgeon will move the muscles and other tissues back into place. Your surgeon will close your incision with stitches or staples. Your surgeon may use strips of medical tape and a bandage to cover your wound.

What will happen after joint replacement surgery?

• It is normal to have increased stiffness and pain after surgery. Your pain and stiffness should get better with exercise.
• Do not get out of bed until your healthcare provider says it is okay. Healthcare providers will teach you how to sit up and move without causing damage to your joint. A physical therapist will work with you after your surgery. When you walk the same day after surgery, it helps decrease pain and improves the function of your joint. You may need to use crutches or a walker.
• You may need to stay in the hospital, or you may go home shortly after surgery. Your healthcare provider may talk to you about rehabilitation you can do at home. A physical therapist can teach you exercises to help increase strength and prevent stiffness.

What are the risks of joint replacement surgery?

• You may have more pain or your joint movement may not be as stable as it was before your surgery. You may have bone loss, or the bones near the implant area may break or crack. You may bleed more than expected or get an infection. Your nerves, blood vessels, ligaments, or muscles may be damaged during surgery.
• Your implant may become loose or move out of place. If this happens, you may need another surgery to replace the implant. You may need surgery to remove your implant if you have an allergic reaction to the materials. You may get a blood clot in your limb. This may become life-threatening.

Care Agreement

You have the right to help plan your care. Learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. Discuss treatment options with your healthcare providers to decide what care you want to receive. You always have the right to refuse treatment. The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

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