Patient guides
Plain-English guides for patients deciding about knee replacement: what to expect, how to choose a surgeon and what to ask before you commit.
Decide
What the long-term research shows, whether one knee replacement can last for life and what to weigh if you are younger.
Choose your surgeon
Twelve questions for any surgeon, in the US or abroad, with what a clear answer sounds like.
Prepare to apply
What to send for an online review, and how to get copies of your images and records in the US.
Understand
What the phrase means on an X-ray, why X-rays and symptoms don’t always match and how a decision gets made.
Options
Exercise, weight loss, medication, injections, braces and smaller procedures: what the evidence says.
Injections
What injections can and can’t do, and why the timing of your last injection matters before surgery.
Weight and BMI
Whether your weight rules out surgery, what research says about BMI and how losing weight can help.
Safety checklist
What to check about the surgeon, hospital, plan, flight home and follow-up, wherever you go.
Prepare
Health steps before surgery, what to pack, getting your home ready and planning the flight back.
Insurance
What Original Medicare, Medigap and Medicare Advantage usually cover, and why care abroad is usually self-pay.
Every guide is written in plain English, draws on published medical sources that are listed at the end of the article and says plainly where the evidence is limited. They are general information. Which treatment is right for you is decided after a personal assessment, and that is what Dr. Kalender does for his patients after reviewing your imaging.
Chat with Dr. Kalender’s team on WhatsApp, in English.
Free online consultation
Send your X-rays or MRI and talk to Dr. Kalender about your knee and your options. Free, with no obligation.
Pain-free knee replacement in Istanbul for patients traveling from the USA. Orthopedic & trauma surgeon at Dora Hospital.
Dora Hospital · Fulya Mah. Yavuz Sk. No:7, 34394 Şişli / Istanbul, Türkiye
The information on this website is for general guidance and does not replace a medical consultation. © Dr. Mahmut Kalender