Travelling for surgery
How to Choose an Orthopedic Surgeon in Lahore
A practical guide to evaluating any orthopedic surgeon in Lahore — what qualifications like FCPS and FACS actually mean, why procedure volume and revision experience matter, and what to ask before you commit to surgery.
When a knee or hip has been aching for months, the question most people actually have is not "what does an orthopedic surgeon do" — it is "how do I know if this particular surgeon is right for my case." Lahore has a good number of surgeons who list joint replacement or trauma surgery among their services, and the qualifications, hospital names and titles can look similar from the outside. Sorting out who is genuinely well suited to your case takes a bit of homework. This guide sets out what is actually worth checking, whoever you end up choosing.
Start with the qualifications, and know what the letters mean
Every doctor in Pakistan begins with an MBBS, the basic medical degree completed before any specialisation. On its own, it tells you someone is a qualified doctor, not that they are a trained orthopedic surgeon. Look for a postgraduate surgical qualification on top of it. FCPS (Fellow of the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan) is the standard specialist qualification earned after several years of structured surgical training and examination in Pakistan. Some surgeons also hold FACS (Fellow of the American College of Surgeons), an international fellowship that reflects surgical training and standing recognised in the United States, or MRCPS (Member of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, Glasgow), a United Kingdom postgraduate qualification. These are often held alongside the local FCPS rather than instead of it. If joint replacement specifically is what you need, it is also fair to ask whether the surgeon has had additional focused training in arthroplasty, since general orthopedic training and joint replacement training are not quite the same thing.
Ask how often they do the procedure you need
A surgeon who performs a particular operation regularly is likely to be more comfortable with the range of things that can come up during it than one who does it occasionally. You are entitled to ask, plainly, how often they perform the specific procedure you are considering — a straightforward question a confident surgeon should be able to answer without hesitation. You do not need a number that sounds impressive; you need a direct, unhurried answer.
Ask about revision surgery, not only first-time operations
Revision, or redo, joint replacement is generally more technically demanding than a first-time operation. Bone stock may be reduced, scar tissue is usually present, and an existing implant often has to be removed before a new one is fitted. Not every surgeon who performs primary joint replacements regularly takes on revision cases. It is worth asking directly whether a surgeon accepts revision surgery, and how they would approach it if a complication arose after your own operation. This is a reasonable question to ask even if you expect a straightforward first-time procedure — it tells you how the surgeon thinks about problems, not just successes.
Check which hospital they operate from, and why that matters
A surgeon does not work alone. The hospital they operate at brings its own infrastructure to your surgery: a dedicated operating theatre, infection control practices, availability of blood and intensive care support if needed, and a physiotherapy team for the days after surgery. Two surgeons with similar qualifications can have quite different outcomes available to their patients depending on what the hospital behind them can offer. When you are evaluating a surgeon, ask which hospital or hospitals they operate at, and treat that as part of the decision, not a side detail.
What a good first consultation should feel like
A first consultation that serves you well is rarely rushed. The surgeon should examine you personally, look at your imaging directly rather than relying only on a report, and explain what they see in plain language rather than jargon. They should set out the range of options relevant to your situation, including non-surgical ones where they genuinely apply, rather than moving straight to talk of an operation. You should leave with time to have asked your own questions, and without a sense of pressure to book surgery on the spot. If a consultation feels rushed or one-sided, that is useful information in itself.
Questions worth taking with you
A short list can keep a consultation focused: What is your specialist qualification, and have you had specific training in this procedure? Roughly how often do you perform it? Do you take on revision cases if something needs to be redone later? Which hospital would the surgery be at? What implant options exist for my case, and what shapes that choice? What does recovery generally involve, keeping in mind that it varies by patient? Who do I contact if something feels wrong after hours? What does the physiotherapy plan look like afterwards? These questions are useful with any orthopedic surgeon you see, not only one you have already decided on.
When to seek urgent care instead of booking a consultation
A scheduled consultation is the right route for ongoing joint pain or stiffness. It is not the right route if you currently have numbness or weakness in a leg or arm, loss of bladder or bowel control, a fever together with a hot, swollen joint, or wound discharge following a previous surgery. Those signs are generally regarded as reasons for urgent medical evaluation rather than a scheduled consultation.
Dr Farooq Azam Khan is a consultant orthopedic and joint replacement surgeon based in Lahore. If, after going through the points above, you would like to discuss your own case, a consultation is the right place to ask these same questions in person and work out what applies to you.