Getting ready for your surgery

Before undergoing your total knee replacement, your physician will prescribe a complete physical examination to assess your condition and make sure that there are no factors that could interfere with your surgery.

Tests
In order to plan your surgery, you will asked to perform blood and urine tests. A cardiogram could be useful as well.

Check yourself

• Check your skin: If your knee and leg have any skin infections or irritation, contact your orthopedic surgeon prior to surgery: he or she will tell you how to prepare at best your skin for surgery.
• Check your teeth: the incidence of infection after knee replacement is very low, but an infection can occur if bacteria enter your bloodstream. Therefore, you should consider a control of your teeth before your total knee replacement surgery: contact your dentist.

Medications
Your orthopedic surgeon will inform you about the medications you can take and which you must stop taking before surgery: give to him or her a complete list of the medications you are taking including doses and times.

Special equipment
Special equipment, like support stockings and crutches, could be needed: you can rent or buy it in specialized shops.