You had surgery to get a new hip or knee joint while you were in the hospital.
Below are some questions you may want to ask your doctor or nurse to help you take care of your new joint.
How long will I need to use crutches or a walker after I go home?
Will I have pain medicines when I go home? How should I take them?
Will I need to take blood thinners when I go home? How long would it be?
How can I get my home ready before I even go to the hospital?
What are the signs that something is wrong with my new hip or knee? How can I prevent problems with my new hip or knee?
How do I take care of my surgical wound?
What to ask your doctor after hip or knee replacement; Hip replacement - after - what to ask your doctor; Knee replacement - after - what to ask your doctor; Hip arthroplasty - after - what to ask your doctor; Knee arthroplasty - after - what to ask your doctor
Updated by: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Assistant Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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