My team of anaesthetists are highly skilled at anaesthesia for these types of surgery and very experienced in the unique analgesic techniques that will allow you (the patient) to be fully mobile shortly after the surgery, with the pain well under control.

If you are going to have a hip or knee replacement. There are different types of anaesthetic you can have:

· a spinal anaesthetic

· a general anaesthetic.

There are other procedures that you can have in addition, which should reduce your pain and

make the whole experience more comfortable. These are:

· a nerve block

· local anaesthetic infiltration (injections) around the joint and the wound

· occasionally: an epidural.

Enhanced recovery programme

Many hospitals offer an enhanced recovery programme, which aims to shorten the time it takes to recover from your operation and speed your return to a normal life.

This means that the staff looking after you will follow an evidence-based programme of care,

called a care pathway.

This covers:

· preparing you before surgery

· setting out a typical plan for the anaesthetic and pain relief

· organising the care that you need on the ward afterwards

· encouraging early eating, drinking and walking, all of which shorten the time you need to spend in hospital.

The anaesthetic care for enhanced recovery will keep pain and unpleasant after-effects to a

minimum. This will get you back on your feet as soon as possible. In most hospitals you will

be offered a spinal anaesthetic, combined with a nerve block or wound infiltration. However,

alternatives exist, and this will be explained.

Your anaesthetist will talk to you about which type of anaesthetic is most suitable for you. Your preferences are important and nothing will happen until you understand and agree with what is planned.

For more detailed information follow this link to the Royal College of Anaesthetists information for patients undergoing knee or hip replacement: https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/sites/default/files/documents/2020-01/04-HipKneeReplacementweb.pdf

A good review of anaesthesia from the perspective of the patient is also on their website: https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/patient-information/about-anaesthesia-perioperative-care/patient-faqs