Things to Remember When Having Total Hip Replacement
Anxiety will always be present to anyone who’ll have major surgery including those who are about to have hip replacement. Hip replacement is a major operating procedure made to remove the damaged parts of the hips. The severed parts are replaced with implants such as that of DePuy Pinnacle Hip Replacement. The most common affected individuals belong to the elderly with ages 65 and above. As observed, most have anxiety because they don’t know what to expect before and after the operation. Usually after the operation, they are expected to have routinary check-ups and prophylaxis such as taking antibiotics when having dental works.
What to Expect with the Surgery
Before
A comprehensive medical history will be taken by the doctor that will include the medications being taken by the patient. This is very important because some over-the-counter (OTC) medications such as aspirin can interfere with blood clotting and might be the cause of massive bleeding. The rest of requirements for surgery include standard procedures such as blood works, function tests, physical exams and etc. which is a way of checking if the patient is fit for the procedure. This is the best time to inform the patient of what he/she must expect during and after surgery so the feelings of anxiety will be decreased and he/she can apply the teachings post-operatively.
During
Regional anesthetic agents such as spinal or epidural block are commonly used during hip replacement. You will remain conscious throughout the operation but will be given sedatives to help you feel relax and put you into light sleep. A study has shown that regional anesthesia can prevent blood loss by 30 to 50 percent. At this point, you need to trust your surgical team.
After
The surgery may take around 2 to 4 hours under normal condition and the patient is immediately taken to the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) or Recovery room. The individual will have an intravenous line and other draining tubes to drain the wound of fluid. The wound will have a dressing that will be changed by the surgeon or any of the medical staff. A catheter will also be inserted because the anesthestic agent or other medications might hinder urination. A Pain Controlled Analgesia pump will be with the patient for pain relief. Blood clots should be avoided so compression stockings are worn to help circulate the blood. If everything is stable, the patient is wheeled out of the recovery room and into his/her own room. Within the course of hospitalization which is usually from 3 to 10 days, the patient is advised to practice deep breathing exercises to prevent lung collapse, exercise the lower limbs to prevent blood clots and lastly, adhere to the treatment plan.
Rehabilitation
Aside from check-ups, physical therapy will immediately start such as minor chair exercises. Once the dressing is removed and wound is healed, swimming is advised together with other exercises. Specific actions that could strain the hips should be avoided such as leg-crossing which can dislocate the implants. On a related note, a DePuy Pinnacle Recall is on due to defective prosthetic devices even with the correct care of patients.