Orthopedic surgeons must continue asking patients serious questions before undergoing hip and knee replacements, according to The Shiny Sheet.
Here's what you need to know.
1. Instead of asking a patient about their pain, orthopedic surgeons need to determine if the pain is residual or from athletics. Often patients come to undergo joint replacement procedures, to improve their ability to play sports.
If a patient is at a hospital over discomfort from playing golf or tennis, surgeons need to stress the severity of the surgery and the time a patient will have to spend in the hospital to recovery. Joint replacement surgeries are not always the best option for patients in pain while playing sports.
2. New York City-based Hospital for Special Surgery came up with an algorithm to determine if a patient will benefit from joint replacement surgery. The algorithm follows the discovery that 15 percent to 20 percent of knee replacement patients are dissatisfied.
3. Physicians also need to ask questions to determine if a patient is able to undergo outpatient surgery, including questions about age function, physical status and medical issues.