Frequently asked questions

You can contact our rooms and make an enquiry without a referral. However, to claim a Medicare rebate for your consultation you will need a current referral — from your GP (valid for 12 months) or from another specialist (valid for 3 months). Referrals from allied health practitioners, such as physiotherapists, do not attract a Medicare rebate.

If you don’t yet have a referral, contact us anyway — our team can guide you on the next step.

If you hold private health insurance, you will usually be offered an appointment within one to two weeks of our rooms receiving your referral — priority access is one of the practical advantages of a private referral. For patients without private cover, we hold a small number of appointments; these are limited, and an immediate slot may not always be available. We know that waiting with joint pain is hard. Our team will always be upfront with you about the next available appointment, and will let you know if an earlier one opens up.

Ready to start? Request a consultation.

Just bring yourself. We have deliberately made this as easy as possible:

• No need to bring your X-rays or scans. Dr Yas has digital access to your imaging — simply let our team know where your scans were taken.
• Your referral usually reaches us directly from your GP before your appointment. If you happen to have a paper copy, bring it along, but don’t worry if you don’t.
• Anything else Dr Yas needs — your medical history or medication list — he will obtain from your GP.

At the consultation itself, Dr Yas will take a thorough history, examine you, and review your imaging with you on screen. He will explain what is happening in your joint in plain language and outline your options — surgical and non-surgical — so you can make an informed decision in your own time.

Yes. Your consultations are with Dr Yas personally — not a registrar or an assistant. He takes your history, examines you, reviews your imaging with you, performs your surgery, and sees you at your follow-up visits. Continuity of care is fundamental to how the practice works: the surgeon who knows your joint is the one making every decision about it.

Dr Yas consults principally at Anzac Medical Suites in Ashford, with regular clinics at Calvary Central Districts Hospital in Elizabeth Vale and satellite clinics in Gawler and Magill. He operates privately at Ashford Hospital, Burnside Hospital (Stepney), and Calvary Central Districts Hospital. His public operating lists are held at Lyell McEwin and Modbury Hospitals. Our team will help you choose the location most convenient for you.

Yes — where clinically appropriate, Dr Yas offers telehealth for selected initial and follow-up appointments. This can be helpful if you live regionally or find travel difficult. Let our team know your preference when booking.

Yes. If your surgeon is no longer practising, our rooms can help you transfer your care smoothly. Ask your GP for a new referral to Dr Yas, let us know where your records and imaging are held, and we will take it from there. Dr Yas regularly assesses joints replaced elsewhere — whether you need routine ongoing surveillance of a joint replacement, a second opinion, or revision surgery.

Consultation fees are payable on the day of your appointment, and our reception team will process your Medicare rebate on the spot — it is usually back in your bank account within a few days. Our team will confirm the exact consultation fee when you book, so there are no surprises when you arrive.

There is no single answer, because the cost depends on your procedure, your health fund, and your level of cover. What we can promise is this: before your surgery is booked, you will receive a clear written estimate of Dr Yas’s fee, together with guidance on the separate anaesthetist and hospital components.

Wherever possible, Dr Yas participates in the gap-cover arrangements of your private health fund. Subject to your fund’s rules and your policy, this means your out-of-pocket cost for the surgeon’s fee is kept to either no gap or a known, capped gap — and you will know which applies to you, in writing, before you commit to anything.

One thing worth knowing: health funds may offer you a list of surgeons who operate at no gap. Like insurance policies themselves, surgeons differ — in training, technique, and the complexity of the cases they take on. We encourage you to weigh value, not price alone, and we will always be transparent about what our fees are and what they cover. Read more about fees and billing.

You can still access surgery at a private hospital on a self-funded basis — at a time that suits you and at the hospital of your choice. You will receive a detailed written estimate before you decide anything, and a Medicare rebate may still apply to part of the surgeon’s, assistant’s and anaesthetist’s fees. Our team will walk you through every element of the estimate. See self-funded surgery for more detail.

Some patients choose to apply for early release of superannuation on compassionate grounds. This pathway is administered entirely by the Australian Taxation Office, not by our practice, and eligibility is determined solely by the ATO. Where it is clinically appropriate, Dr Yas can complete the specialist medical report the ATO requires, and we can provide the written quote they may ask to see. We are not financial advisers — before accessing your super, please speak with your accountant, financial adviser or super fund about the long-term implications.

We stand behind our work. If you require a revision of a procedure Dr Yas has performed, his surgeon’s fee is billed with no out-of-pocket cost to you. Please note that anaesthetist and hospital fees are set independently of our practice and may still apply. You can read more about our approach to returning patients on our Fees & Billing page.

Joint replacement is worth considering when pain is limiting your independence — when you are no longer enjoying your hobbies, struggling with everyday tasks, or losing sleep to joint pain despite trying non-surgical treatment. A good starting point is our short self-assessment: Do I need a hip replacement? or Do I need a knee replacement? The real answer, though, comes from an individual assessment of your joint, your imaging and your goals.

Often, yes — particularly in earlier arthritis. Evidence-based strategies include targeted strengthening and physiotherapy, activity modification, weight management, appropriate pain medication, and, in selected cases, injections. Joint replacement is an end-stage option, considered when these measures no longer give you the quality of life you want. Dr Yas will always discuss non-surgical options with you honestly — surgery is a decision you should make once, well, and for the right reasons. You may find Beyond Painkillers a useful read.

No. Dr Yas assesses higher-weight patients on their individual merits rather than declining surgery on a BMI number alone. Research shows patients with a higher body weight can gain substantial improvement in quality of life from joint replacement. Carrying more weight does increase certain surgical risks, and it may call for additional planning and specific hospital arrangements — Dr Yas will discuss what this means for you, honestly and without judgement, at your consultation. You may also find our article Living with joint pain and a BMI over 40 helpful.

There is no fixed age cut-off in either direction.

Older patients: Dr Yas regularly performs hip and knee replacement in patients in their eighties and nineties. Age itself is less important than your overall health, and risks are assessed individually.

Younger patients: if you are in your thirties or forties with severe arthritis, being told to “just wait” is not the only answer. Joint-preserving options, partial replacement and personalised techniques may be appropriate, and each case is assessed on its merits. See our Individual Assessment approach.

Be careful. There is currently no treatment that reverses or cures established arthritis, so treat any promise of a cure with healthy scepticism — particularly from providers who are not registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra). That said, there are many legitimate, evidence-based ways to control joint pain and stay active, and Dr Yas will happily discuss them with you. If you have seen a treatment you are curious about, bring it to your consultation — you will get a straight answer.

Yes, and you should never feel awkward about seeking one — it is your joint and your decision. Second opinions are a dedicated part of Dr Yas’s practice, including for patients whose previous replacement still doesn’t feel right. Bring your imaging and any operation notes; you will receive an independent examination, a review of your imaging, and a written summary of your options. Learn more on our Second Opinion page.

Not for the reasons you might expect. For Dr Yas, robotic technology is not a selling point in itself — it is an enabling tool. Certain operations, such as partial and bicompartmental knee replacement and personalised (kinematic) alignment techniques, demand a level of precision that is difficult to achieve consistently with conventional instruments. Robotic guidance, in experienced hands, provides real-time information about your bone anatomy and ligament balance during the operation, supporting techniques that aim to preserve healthy tissue and reproduce the way your knee naturally moves.

The surgical plan — and the judgement applied during your operation — remains the surgeon’s. Technology executes the plan; it does not make the decisions. Dr Yas will explain whether robotic assistance is appropriate for your specific operation at your consultation. Read more about personalised and robotic surgery.

Traditional knee replacement aligns every knee to the same standard target. Kinematic alignment instead aims to restore your knee’s own pre-arthritic geometry — the alignment your knee had before arthritis changed it — with the goal of a knee that feels more natural to you. Whether this approach suits your knee depends on your anatomy and is assessed individually. Read more on our robotic and personalised knee replacement page.

If arthritis is confined to one compartment of your knee, a partial (unicompartmental) replacement resurfaces only the damaged area, preserving your ligaments and the healthy parts of your joint. For suitable patients this can mean a smaller operation and a more natural-feeling knee. Suitability depends on where your arthritis is and the condition of your ligaments — imaging and examination will determine whether you are a candidate. See partial knee replacement.

The anterior approach reaches the hip from the front, working between muscle groups rather than through them, which can make the early weeks of recovery easier for some patients. Current evidence, including the Arthroplasty Society of Australia’s consensus, does not show a long-term outcome difference between approaches — each has its own advantages and risk profile. Dr Yas commonly performs anterior hip replacement, and uses the posterior approach for complex and revision cases where it allows safer surgery. The right approach is the one that suits your anatomy and your situation. See direct anterior hip replacement.

Yes. Most hip and knee replacements are performed under spinal anaesthesia with sedation, and many patients worry this means being awake during the operation — it doesn’t. With sedation you are asleep and unaware of the surgery, without needing a full general anaesthetic. Where suitable, a spinal anaesthetic often brings a smoother start to recovery: better pain relief in the first hours, and less nausea and grogginess afterwards. A general anaesthetic is used where preferred or more appropriate.

You will have an appointment with your anaesthetist before surgery to talk through the pros and cons and decide the safest approach for you. If anaesthesia worries you, raise it at your consultation — it can be planned for.

A little preparation makes a real difference to your recovery. Depending on your operation and health, Dr Yas and our team may ask you to:

• See your dentist before joint replacement, as dental infections should be treated before an implant is placed.
• Pause certain medications and supplements (including some blood thinners, fish oil and turmeric) — you will receive specific instructions.
• Work on strength before surgery (“prehabilitation”) — a stronger joint going in usually means a faster recovery coming out.
• Address what you can: stopping smoking and optimising diabetes control both measurably reduce surgical risk.

You will receive clear written instructions well before your operation, and our team is available for any questions in the lead-up.

Australian registry data show that the large majority of modern hip and knee replacements — roughly nine in ten — are still in place twenty years after surgery. Longevity varies with your age, activity, weight and the type of replacement, and Dr Yas will discuss what the evidence means for your situation. Data source: the Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry.

All surgery carries risks, and it would be wrong to pretend otherwise. Potential complications include infection, blood clots, stiffness, and — uncommonly — the need for further surgery. Your individual risk depends on your health, weight, and the complexity of your operation, which is exactly why Dr Yas discusses risks specific to you, not generic statistics, before any decision is made. You will never be asked to commit to surgery before you have had your questions answered.

Most patients stand and take their first steps with the physiotherapist on the day of surgery, or the following morning. As a guide, hip and knee replacement patients usually stay two to three nights, and partial knee replacement patients one to two.

More important than the number: your discharge is decided by your readiness, not a protocol. Many patients feel well enough to go home the next day, and if that is you, you can. Others need a little longer — and that is entirely fine. We will never rush you out the door to meet a timetable. You go home when you are safe, comfortable and confident, and not a moment before.

Many patients are back behind the wheel around two weeks after surgery — often sooner than they expected. There is no fixed rule; what matters is that you can sit comfortably in the car, have full control of your leg, feel safe to brake in an emergency, and are no longer taking strong pain medication. Dr Yas will help you judge when that point arrives. For some patients it comes earlier, for others later — both are normal, because your recovery is yours.

It depends on your job. Desk-based work is often possible within two to six weeks — some patients work from home even earlier. Physically demanding work typically takes eight to twelve weeks, and occasionally longer for heavy manual roles. Dr Yas will give you a realistic, personalised timeframe at your consultation so you can plan ahead with your employer.

Rehabilitation is where a good operation becomes a great result. You will begin supervised exercises in hospital on the day of surgery or the day after, and continue with a structured physiotherapy program tailored to your operation and goals — usually a combination of outpatient physiotherapy and a simple daily home program. Most patients do not need an inpatient rehabilitation facility. You will find our rehabilitation guides on the Resources page.

Recovery differs a great deal by procedure. If you have had keyhole (arthroscopic) surgery, follow the knee arthroscopy post-operative instructions. If you have had an ACL reconstruction, your recovery follows a dedicated, phased program — see the ACL rehabilitation protocol.

Living normally is the whole point of the operation, so these everyday questions matter.

• Kneeling: most patients have no problems kneeling after a knee replacement. It will not damage the implant — it may feel a little different at first, and a padded surface can help early on.
• Sleeping: most patients are sleeping comfortably on their side within the first several weeks; a pillow between the knees helps early on. After anterior hip replacement, formal movement restrictions are generally not required.
• Flying and travel: there is no restriction on flying after joint replacement. Mention any travel planned soon after surgery to Dr Yas so it can be factored into your recovery plan.
• Airport security: your implant may set off a metal detector. No card or documentation is required — a simple explanation to security staff is all that is needed, and modern body scanners identify implants without fuss.

For the first three months after a joint replacement, it is safer to postpone complex dental work such as extractions and root canals. If such treatment genuinely cannot wait, it can go ahead with antibiotic cover — let our rooms know so we can coordinate with your dentist. Simple procedures such as a scale and clean can be done at any time, without antibiotics.

After three months, there are no restrictions on dental work. Always tell your dentist you have a joint replacement, and keep up regular dental care — a healthy mouth protects your new joint.

Most recoveries go smoothly, but you should never hesitate to contact us if something doesn’t feel right — by phone, or directly through our practice messaging portal (see the next question). Call our rooms on 08 7081 4100 — or attend your nearest emergency department if it is urgent — if you notice:

• pain that is increasing rather than settling
• spreading redness, discharge, or an opening wound
• fever, chills, or feeling generally unwell
• new calf pain or swelling in your leg
• sudden shortness of breath or chest pain — call 000 immediately
• a sudden change in what your joint can do

No question is too small. We would always rather hear from you early.

Yes — and this matters to us. Every surgical patient has access to our practice messaging portal: a direct line to Dr Yas throughout your recovery. You can send photos of your wound, ask a question, or raise a concern at any time, and it will be reviewed with priority. You are never left at home wondering whether something is normal — you ask the surgeon who performed your operation, and you get an answer.

You will typically be reviewed around two weeks after surgery for a wound check, and again around six weeks with an X-ray to confirm everything is healing as planned. Further reviews follow at intervals Dr Yas recommends for your operation, and long-term surveillance of joint replacements is arranged as needed. Every follow-up appointment is with Dr Yas personally — the surgeon who performed your operation is the one who follows your recovery.