Preparing for knee replacement surgery

The more prepared you are for your knee replacement surgery, the better equipped you’ll be for a strong recovery. At Penn Medicine, our orthopaedic team will guide you through the process to help you understand how to prepare for your surgery and knee replacement recovery. The specific details of your individual treatment plan, post-operative care, and recovery time may vary, but the preparation steps we describe here apply to all kinds of knee replacement surgery, including robotic-assisted knee replacement.

Support from family and friends is also important for your recovery. We encourage you to bring someone with you to your appointments, so they understand the surgical procedures and expectations and can ask questions and take notes. This will help them assist you throughout your care journey.

A preoperative testing appointment is scheduled within 30 days of your surgery. This may include a medical evaluation, blood samples, electrocardiogram, stress test, chest x-ray, and urine sample. The tests indicate whether your body is ready for surgery or if there are conditions that need special attention first.  

Please come prepared to discuss:  

• Advance directives  
• Dietary restrictions or allergies  
• Medical conditions  
• Medications and supplements you take  
• Your primary care doctor and specialists  
• Prior surgeries 

You may lose some blood during your surgery, so your surgeon will make recommendations on how to prepare. These may include iron supplementation to help build your supply and lessen the need for a blood transfusion. Your surgeon may also encourage you to donate your own blood for use if it’s needed during your surgery.  

If you don’t wish to accept blood products, some locations offer a safe, unique bloodless surgery program. Your care team can answer any questions you may have about this program. 

In addition to providing verbal and printed educational materials, your care team will register you for a free class where you can obtain detailed information about what to expect before and after surgery. Members of our orthopaedic team will outline what to expect, offer tips, and answer any questions you may have as your surgery date approaches. To help you digest what you learn in class, we encourage you to invite a family member or friend to join you. We’ll cover topics such as: 

• Preoperative screening 
• How to prepare the day of surgery 
• What to expect after surgery 
• Physical therapy and rehabilitation  
• Plans for the return home