# Care pathway for an artificial joint replacement patient Keywords: - [artificial joint](< /en/search?q=artificial joint >) Artificial joint surgery includes hip, knee, and other joint replacements. In the Helsinki University Hospital area, these are centrally managed at Peijas Hospital. This website describes the care pathway.  ## Diagnosing symptomatic osteoarthritis You may request a referral to the Helsinki University Hospital Joint Replacement Center from a health center physician, an occupational health care physician, or a physician in private practice if you are diagnosed with symptomatic osteoarthritis. ### Referral to the Helsinki University Hospital Joint Replacement Center --- Once your referral has been processed, you will be invited for an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon at the [Joint Replacement Center's outpatient clinic](/en/patient/hospitals-and-other-units/peijas-hospital/joint-replacement-center-peijas-hospital "Joint Replacement Center, Peijas Hospital") at [Peijas Hospital](/en/patient/hospitals-and-other-units/peijas-hospital "​Peijas Hospital"). The invitation will be sent to you by mail. ## Appointment at the outpatient clinic You will be invited to an appointment with the orthopedic surgeon for a treatment consultation at the Surgery Outpatient Clinic at Peijas Hospital when your referral arrives. Your family members are welcome to attend the meeting too. ### Before the appointment --- Before your appointment, you will receive a medical history form. Please fill this in with care. You can fill in the form in our online service, or you can fill it in on paper and mail it to us in the return envelope provided. ### At the appointment --- At the appointment, a physician and a nurse will review your medical history and medication with you and will enter your up-to-date details in the information system. An orthopedic specialist with expertise in artificial joint surgery will evaluate your joint at the outpatient clinic. The orthopedic surgeon needs to have X-rays of the affected joint in addition to the clinical examination in order to make a diagnosis. Sometimes other imaging, such as an MRI, is needed. After the examinations, we will hold a customized consultation meeting with you. The purpose of this is to review your condition and your options for treatment, and to decide with your input on the policy for your treatment. ### Rehabilitative therapy or surgery? --- If your osteoarthritis is mild enough not to warrant surgical treatment, you will be referred to rehabilitative therapy. This mainly involves independent exercise and mobility, weight control, and possibly physiotherapy at your local health center. You will also be prescribed painkillers. If a surgical procedure is selected for your osteoarthritis, the consultation meeting will include discussion of the preparation for the operation, the progress of the operation itself, recovery on the ward, and further treatment at home. You will be advised on your operation at the appointment, with a patient guide and with other advisory materials. An anesthesiologist may participate in the planning of your surgery at the preparation stage if necessary. ### What are the health requirements for surgery? --- Before the operation, you should be in good physical shape, and any underlying conditions that you may have should be well managed. Any dental work required must also be completed. Please book an appointment with your dentist as soon as the decision to go ahead with surgery is made. Please suspend or quit smoking at least 2 weeks before the operation and refrain from smoking for at least 3 to 4 weeks after it so as to ensure optimal healing of the wound. Weight control is important for osteoarthrosis patients, but a drastic weight loss before the operation itself is not recommended. [Further information on weight control.](https://www.terveyskyla.fi/painonhallinta) ### Preoperative physiotherapy advice --- When the decision has been made on artificial joint surgery on your hip or knee, you will be referred to preoperative physiotherapy. During the advisory appointment, a physiotherapist will interview and examine you, estimate the need for assistive devices, and provide you with instructions and advice regarding the operation itself and postoperative rehabilitation. You need to collect the assistive devices needed from the assistive device service in your municipality before coming in for your operation. While waiting for the operation, you should keep in shape and uphold your muscle strength if possible. These are factors in a speedier recovery. A good general condition and muscle strength facilitate the operation and speed up recovery. Therefore, all osteoarthrosis patients are encouraged to exercise every day. ## Surgery and inpatient care If you can get mobile soon after the operation, you will have a better chance of a speedy recovery. ### On the day of the operation --- On the morning of the day of your operation you will arrive at Surgery Outpatient Clinic 3 at Peijas Hospital, where a nurse will prepare you for the operation. The nurse will check your health and the condition of your skin, have you change into surgical clothes, and give you the premedication. You will wait for your operation in the waiting room in Surgery Outpatient Clinic 3, and the operating room nurse will come to collect you. ### In the operating room --- In the operating room, the first people you will meet are the operating room nurses and anesthesiologist who will be looking after you. At this point, your health details are checked one more time, and you can discuss any questions and requests related to anesthesia and pain management. An intravenous catheter (‘drip’) will be inserted in the back of your hand for administering fluids and medication. Sensors will be attached to your chest and upper arm for monitoring your heartbeat and blood pressure, etc. An artificial joint operation is performed under local anesthesia to the back or under general anesthesia. Both types of anesthesia are safe and allow for an optimal outcome. A knee or hip replacement operation generally lasts 1 to 2 hours. An artificial joint operation involves replacing damaged cartilage with an artificial joint. A partial replacement is also possible. ### On the ward --- In the evening after the operation, you may walk around and go to the restroom if you feel able and your pain level allows. You are also allowed to eat. Nurses will help you get up and support you in moving around and will help you in using assistive devices. If you can get mobile soon after the operation, you will have a better chance of a speedy recovery and less of a risk of blood clots. In the following days, nurses and physiotherapists will assist you to start moving independently while assisting you with everyday functions if necessary. ### Pain management --- While you are in inpatient care, your pain level and general condition will be monitored. You will be given painkillers regularly to alleviate the pain. Pain management is important particularly after artificial joint surgery. Excessive pain inhibits recovery and rehabilitation. The anesthesiologist and surgeon will plan the postoperative pain management regime. In addition to various non-medical pain management techniques (positioning, cold packs), local anesthetic and painkillers are used. Medication planning is informed by your underlying conditions and allergies, the extent of the operation, and your own requests and previous experiences of pain management. In many cases, preparations from several drug classes are used. On the ward, painkillers are usually administered by mouth. Painkillers are given regularly, with additional doses as and when required. [Read more about pain management.](https://www.terveyskyla.fi/kivunhallintatalo/kipu-leikkauksen-j%C3%A4lkeen) ### Day after the operation --- On the day after your operation, the physiotherapist will evaluate and provide individual guidance for your mobility and functional capacity. The goal is for you to be able to move as smoothly, safely, and independently as possible, using an assistive device. You will be encouraged and coached to use your operated joint as soon as possible, albeit within the limits of any restrictions imposed. Rehabilitation requires you to be active. After being discharged, you will need to exercise independently based on the instructions provided. If necessary, you can call the helpline of the physiotherapist on the ward, tel. 09 471 67841 (Mon to Wed, 12:30–13:00). If necessary, your physician can write you a referral to physiotherapy in primary health care. ## Postoperative recovery Recovery from a hip or knee replacement surgery begins at the hospital, with the assistance of the nursing staff and physiotherapists. ### Rehabilitation at home --- When you continue your rehabilitation at home, it is important to follow your physician’s instructions regarding pain management. Without sufficient pain medication, your rehabilitation may be unnecessarily prolonged. It is important that you follow instructions in caring for the surgical wound. You may need to use assistive devices for a period of 2 to 8 weeks after the operation. You can stop using them according to the instructions given by the hospital. If you have any questions after your surgery, please call the ward helpline: Ward K2, tel. 050 428 7371 (weekdays 12:30–13:30) Ward K3, tel. 09 471 67851 (weekdays 12:00–13:00) ### Follow-up appointment --- You will have your follow-up appointment at the Surgery Outpatient Clinic at Peijas Hospital 2 to 3 months after the operation. ## Guides [ Hip replacement surgery(pdf 2.32 MB)  (opens in new window, links to another website) ](https://www-staging.hus.fi/sites/default/files/2023-01/Hip%20replacement%20surgery.pdf) [ Knee replacement surgery(pdf 2.34 MB)  (opens in new window, links to another website) ](https://www-staging.hus.fi/sites/default/files/2023-01/Knee%20replacement%20surgery.pdf) ## Instruction videos for rehabilitees - [ Climbing stairs (opens in new window, links to another website) ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GVVCuMrVoc&feature=youtu.be) - [ 4-point walking gait (opens in new window, links to another website) ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZhTvYlh308&feature=youtu.be) ## [ Joint Hub (opens in new window, links to another website) ](https://www.terveyskyla.fi/niveltalo) TERVEYSKYLÄ.FI For more information on joint disorders, visit the Joint Hub ( Niveltalo) at the Health Village ( Terveyskylä). Health Village ( Terveyskylä) is an online service for specialist medical care. Go to the Joint Hub front page  ## [ Pain Management Hub (opens in new window, links to another website) ](https://www.terveyskyla.fi/kivunhallintatalo) TERVEYSKYLÄ.FI For more information on pain scenarios and pain treatment, visit the Pain Management Hub ( Kivunhallintatalo) at the Health Village ( Terveyskylä). Health Village ( Terveyskylä) is an online service for specialist medical care. Go to the Pain Management Hub front page  ## Units related to the service ### [ Joint Replacement Center, Peijas Hospital ](/en/patient/hospitals-and-other-units/peijas-hospital/joint-replacement-center-peijas-hospital) Operating at Peijas Hospital, the HUS Joint Replacement Center is the second largest in the Nordic countries. The unit performs approximately 3,000 joint…  ### [ Ward K2, Peijas Hospital ](/en/patient/hospitals-and-other-units/peijas-hospital/ward-k2-peijas-hospital) On Peijas Hospital’s Ward K2, we treat artificial hip and knee joint replacement surgery patients. Challenging joint replacement reoperations have also…  ### [ Ward K3 orthopedics, Peijas Hospital ](/en/patient/hospitals-and-other-units/peijas-hospital/ward-k3-orthopedics-peijas-hospital) On Peijas Hospital Ward K3, we treat orthopedic and traumatological patients. You arrive on our ward either via the emergency department or by invitation.  ### [ Surgery Outpatient Clinic, Peijas Hospital ](/en/patient/hospitals-and-other-units/peijas-hospital/surgery-outpatient-clinic-peijas-hospital) Treatment at the Surgery Outpatient Clinic at Peijas Hospital requires a referral and an appointment. We serve patients in the specialties of orthopedics. - [Show more](?page=1 "Load more items") Updated: 09.01.2026 Print this page