You are taken to the theatre suite about an hour before your slot. Anaesthesia is tailored to the procedure: spinal or general, often with a nerve block for pain relief that lasts into the next day.
After surgery you recover in a monitored recovery area before returning to your room. For joint replacement, physiotherapists help you stand and take first steps the same day. Pain is managed with a multimodal plan so that opioids are minimised.
Your coordinator updates your companion during surgery and your surgeon visits you afterwards to explain how the operation went.