If you and your doctor have concluded that all medical treatments have been unsuccessful in controlling pain, or that your motion and function are so restricted that your quality of life is altered, surgery such as a joint replacement is necessary. This is a team effort and starts with your arthritis doctor and orthopedist working with you as members of a team to be sure that you are in the best condition possible to go to surgery. One of the first things you need to do is to review your medicines with your own doctor and with the orthopedist as well. Many orthopedists want your prednisone level as low as possible, then add a boost at the time of surgery to help the adrenal gland with stress reaction. Infection may be more frequent in patients on steroids.
Some orthopedists also believe that d-penicillamine can delay healing.
So you can see how important it is to review all your medicines. The doctor will try to get rid of any known minor infections before surgery. You should also stop smoking before surgery. Eating a well-balanced diet is especially important during stressful times like having surgery. If your diet is deficient, taking a daily multivitamin will improve overall health.