Medical Clearance

Having any kind of surgery increases stress to your entire body. Because of this, you’ll need to talk with your primary care physician and have tests completed before your surgery. These may include blood and urine tests, and tests that show how well your heart, kidneys, and liver are working. If you have heart or lung conditions, you may need to be evaluated by a heart specialist, known as a cardiologist, or lung specialist, known as a pulmonologist, before undergoing surgery. Their evaluations make sure that your heart and lungs are good to go through the procedure.

If you’re having any problems with your teeth, like infections or abscesses, or if you have not seen a dentist in over a year, we strongly recommend you have a dental exam prior to surgery. It’s important to make sure you don’t have any infections in your mouth, which could enter your bloodstream and infect your new joint.

Any medications you’re currently taking may also need to be adjusted before your surgery. Let your doctor know what prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, dietary supplements, and vitamins you’re taking so they can tell you whether to stop, continue, or change the dosage.

We want to make sure you’re healthy before surgery in order to set a foundation for your best recovery.