Questions to Ask About Hip Replacement
Questions for the surgeon and care team before a hip replacement. Covers timing, the choice of approach and implant, risks that apply to you, pain control, what recovery will require at home, and cost.
The questions
Open any question for the note
What is causing my pain, and what do the images show?
Why ask it
Ask to see the X-ray or scan and have the findings pointed out. Imaging and symptoms do not always match, and knowing which one is driving the recommendation matters.
How do you decide that someone is ready for a replacement rather than waiting?
Why ask it
The answer should refer to your function and pain, not only to the images. Listen for the specific thresholds this surgeon uses, since practice varies.
What happens if I wait another year, and what else could I try first?
Why ask it
Physiotherapy, weight change, walking aids, and injections are sometimes reasonable steps, and sometimes delay makes surgery harder. You want the trade-off stated plainly in your case.
Is there anything about my health you would want addressed before operating?
Why ask it
Dental infections, blood sugar control, smoking, anaemia, and certain medications are commonly dealt with beforehand. Asking early gives you time to act on the answer.
Which surgical approach would you use for me, and why that one?
Why ask it
Surgeons differ in the approach they favour, and the honest reason is often familiarity and results rather than a clear advantage. Familiarity is a legitimate answer.
Which implant do you plan to use, and how long have you been using it?
Why ask it
You are asking for the make and the materials, and whether it has a long track record. Newer designs are not automatically better, and a very new one is worth a question.
How many of these operations do you do in a year, and how many does this hospital do?
Why ask it
Both figures matter, because the hospital provides the nursing, physiotherapy, and out-of-hours cover. Reluctance to give numbers is unusual in this field.
Given my age and my other conditions, which risks apply specifically to me?
Why ask it
General consent-form risks are not the same as your risks. A good answer names the two or three most relevant and what is done to reduce each one.
How do you keep track of your own complication and revision rates?
Why ask it
Many surgeons and hospitals submit to a joint registry or audit their results. Someone who monitors their outcomes can usually tell you what they are.
What kind of anaesthetic would I have, and who decides?
Why ask it
Spinal and general anaesthesia have different recovery profiles, and the decision usually sits with the anaesthetist rather than the surgeon. Ask when you will meet them.
How will pain be managed in the first week, and what is the plan for reducing the stronger medication?
Why ask it
You want a written plan with a taper, not a prescription and goodwill. Ask who to contact if the pain is not controlled at home.
How long would I be in hospital, and would I go home or to a rehabilitation unit?
Why ask it
The destination after discharge determines what you need to arrange and what it may cost. Ask what would change the plan, since discharge decisions are often made on the day.
What will I be able to do on the first day, at one week, and at one month?
Why ask it
Concrete milestones let you plan, and they set expectations that protect you from feeling behind. Ask specifically about stairs, washing, and getting into a car.
What do I need to arrange at home before the operation?
Why ask it
A raised seat, a firm chair, rails, removing loose rugs, and moving everyday items to waist height are ordinary preparations. Doing them beforehand is much easier than afterwards.
What if I live alone, or the person helping me also has to work?
Why ask it
Say this plainly rather than hoping it works out. Hospitals can often arrange home visits, longer inpatient stays, or equipment when they know the situation in advance.
Which movements or positions do I have to avoid, and for how long?
Why ask it
Restrictions depend on the approach used, so ask your own surgeon rather than relying on general advice. Get them written down, including how to sleep and how to sit.
When can I drive, return to work, and resume sex?
Why ask it
These are the questions people most often leave unasked and then guess at. Timing depends on the side operated on, your job, and the medication you are taking.
What physiotherapy is arranged, where does it happen, and how often?
Why ask it
Rehabilitation does more for the result than most patients expect. Find out how many sessions are included, whether travel is involved, and what you are meant to do between them.
Which symptoms after surgery mean I should call you the same day?
Why ask it
Fever, spreading redness, wound discharge, sudden calf pain or breathlessness, and a sudden inability to bear weight are the kind of things to have on a list. Ask for the number to call at night and at weekends.
How long is this implant likely to last for someone my age, and what does a revision involve?
Why ask it
Expected lifespan shapes the decision, particularly for younger patients who may need a second operation. Revision surgery is a bigger undertaking, and it is better to hear that now.
What will this cost me in total, including anaesthesia, the implant, and rehabilitation?
Why ask it
Bills arrive from several parties, and the surgeon's fee is often the smaller part. Ask who to contact for a written estimate and how out-of-network charges are handled.
Preparing for the Appointment and the Weeks After
Practical guidance for the conversation itself
Making the appointment useful
Bring someone with you
A second person hears what you miss and can take notes while you concentrate on the conversation. If nobody can come, ask whether you may record the discussion.
Write down what you can no longer do
Distance you can walk, stairs, socks and shoes, sleep interrupted by pain, and how often you take painkillers. This is the information the decision actually rests on, and it is hard to recall on the spot.
Bring your medication list
Include anticoagulants, anti-inflammatories, supplements, and anything for diabetes. Several of these need adjusting before surgery, and the instructions depend on the exact doses.
Ask for the plan in writing
Date, approach, implant, restrictions, physiotherapy arrangements, and who to contact. Verbal instructions given on a discharge day are rarely remembered accurately.
Second opinions
- A second opinion is routine for elective joint surgery and does not offend a reasonable surgeon.
- It is most worth seeking when the recommendation is surgery you did not expect, when you are young for a replacement, or when a previous operation is involved.
- Take your imaging and reports with you so the second surgeon is looking at the same evidence rather than repeating tests.
- Ask both surgeons the same questions about approach, implant, and restrictions. Differences in the answers are informative rather than alarming.
- If the two opinions differ, ask each what would have to be true for the other course to be right.
Arranging the first weeks at home
- 1Sort out equipment before the operation: a firm chair with arms, a raised toilet seat if advised, a grabber, a long-handled sponge, and a walking aid.
- 2Clear the routes you will use with a frame or crutches, remove loose rugs and trailing cables, and improve the lighting on the way to the bathroom.
- 3Move everyday items to between waist and shoulder height so you are not reaching or bending in the first weeks.
- 4Prepare food in advance and arrange deliveries, since standing to cook is tiring earlier than people expect.
- 5Write the contact numbers on one sheet and leave it where you will be sitting: the surgical team, the ward, the physiotherapist, and the out-of-hours line.
- 6Agree with whoever is helping you what they will do and on which days, before you go in rather than afterwards.