Knee replacement abroad, how long to stay and when to fly home

How long the whole trip usually takes

Most patients who travel to Azerbaijan for a knee replacement plan to stay about two to three weeks. Most of this time is not spent in hospital. It is divided between the examination and tests before surgery, a few days on the ward, a period of physiotherapy while staying nearby, and a final check with the surgeon before the flight. Travel days to and from Baku come on top. Your own plan depends on your general health, how quickly you get moving after the operation and what the surgeon finds at each check.

A rough outline looks like this. One or two days go on the consultation, blood tests, an ECG and an assessment by the anaesthetist, after which the surgeon confirms the plan. The operation and the hospital stay follow. After discharge you usually spend another week or more in a hotel or apartment near the clinic, attending physiotherapy and wound checks. MedAzerbaijan can review your documents in advance, send a written estimate before you book and arrange the visa, transfers, accommodation and an interpreter for the whole period.

The first days in hospital

Patient guides from the NHS and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons say that people usually go home one to four days after a knee replacement, once they can move about safely with crutches or a walker. Patients who have travelled from abroad are often kept a little longer, typically three to five days, because they are discharged to a hotel rather than to their own home. Before discharge you are usually expected to walk on level ground with a walking aid and to manage two or three stairs. The surgeon decides when you are ready to leave the ward.

Rehabilitation begins almost at once. A physiotherapist usually helps you stand and take your first steps with support within a day or two, and shows you exercises to bend and straighten the knee. Moving the ankles and feet in bed is encouraged from the start, because it keeps the blood flowing in the legs. The medical team controls pain, checks the wound every day and starts measures against blood clots, which may include stockings, inflatable compression devices and blood-thinning medicine.

When stitches or clips come out

The wound along the front of the knee is closed with stitches, clips or stitches buried under the skin. According to the NHS, a nurse usually removes stitches or clips after about ten days, although the timing can vary with the closure method and with how the wound heals. Buried dissolvable stitches do not need to be removed at all. Ask the surgeon before the operation which method will be used, because it affects whether the removal can be done before your flight or should be arranged at home.

Until the wound is fully closed and dry, it must be kept out of water, so baths and swimming wait until the surgeon allows them. Some swelling around the knee is normal for weeks, and mild to moderate swelling can last three to six months. Contact the team promptly if redness increases, the wound starts to discharge, you develop a fever or you notice new severe swelling. If you are already home, your discharge summary helps a local doctor or nurse see exactly what was done.

Physiotherapy after discharge

Exercise is the part of recovery that depends most on you. After discharge the physiotherapist continues to work on bending and straightening the knee and on walking safely, and you are given a programme to repeat several times a day. Most people start with two crutches, move to one crutch and then to a walking stick as their confidence grows. The NHS suggests trying to walk without an aid after about six weeks, if you feel ready and your team agrees.

The sessions in Baku are only the first stage. Exercises should continue at home for at least two months, and the knee may keep improving for up to a year. Many people return to everyday activities within a few weeks, and to work after about six to twelve weeks depending on the job. Driving usually waits at least six weeks after a total knee replacement and needs the approval of your doctor. Take the written exercise programme home so that a local physiotherapist can continue it.

Blood clots and the flight home

Any major leg operation raises the risk of deep vein thrombosis, a blood clot in the deep veins of the leg. The risk is highest in the first weeks after surgery, and journeys of more than four hours by plane, car or train add to it. Warning signs include throbbing pain or swelling in one calf or thigh and red or darkened skin over the painful area. Sudden shortness of breath or chest pain may mean that a clot has moved to the lungs, and that needs emergency care at once.

There is no single agreed date for flying after a knee replacement. A survey of orthopaedic surgeons in the United Kingdom, published in 2023, found advice ranging from two weeks to six months and no clear consensus. This is why the surgeon examines you before the flight, decides when travel is reasonable for you and plans clot prevention for the journey. This may include continuing blood thinners and wearing compression stockings, which most people wear for at least six weeks. On board, an aisle seat makes it easier to get up and walk, and it helps to move your feet often, drink water and avoid alcohol.

Follow-up once you are home

Recovery continues long after the flight. The NHS describes a follow-up appointment about six weeks after the operation to check that the knee is healing well, and surgeons usually arrange periodic checks with X-rays in later years. Before you leave Azerbaijan, make sure you have a discharge summary in a language your doctor at home can read, with details of the implant, your medicines and the exercise programme. Agree in advance who will see you at home for the six week check and whom to contact with questions.

A few practical points are worth knowing for the years ahead. The implant may set off metal detectors at airports, so tell the security staff about your knee replacement. Before dental treatment, ask your surgeon whether you need antibiotics, and tell the staff about the implant before any MRI scan. Avoid kneeling on the new knee until a doctor says it is safe, and avoid lifting heavy objects for the first three months. If anything worries you after you get home, your coordinator can pass your questions to the treating surgeon.

Frequently asked questions