Total Hip Replacement (cont.)
What will it be like for the patient
after surgery?
A total hip joint replacement takes
approximately two to four hours of surgical time. The preparation
prior to surgery may take additional hours. After surgery, the
patient is taken to a recovery room for immediate observation
which generally lasts between one to four hours. The lower extremities
will be closely observed for both adequate sensation and circulation.
If unusual symptoms of numbness or tingling are noted by the patient,
recovery room nurses are available and should be notified by the
patient. Upon stabilization, the patient is transferred to a hospital
room.
During the immediate recovery period, patients are given
intravenous fluids. Intravenous fluids are important to maintain a patient's
electrolytes as well as for administering antibiotics. Patients
also will notice tubes draining fluid from the surgical wound
site. The amount and character of the drainage is important to
the doctor and can be monitored closely by the nurse in attendance.
A dressing is applied in the operating room and will remain in
place for two to four days to be later changed by the attending
surgeon and staff.
Pain control medications are commonly given through a patient-controlled-analgesia (PCA) pump whereby patients can actually administer
their own dose of medications on demand. Pain medications occasionally
can cause nausea and vomiting. Anti-nausea medications may then
be given.
Measures are taken to prevent blood clots in the lower extremities.
Patients are placed in elastic hose (TEDs) after surgery. Compression
stockings are often added which act by squeezing with circulating
air in plastic bags wrapped around the legs, forcing blood
circulation. Patients are encouraged to actively exercise the lower extremities
in order to mobilize venous blood in the lower extremities to
prevent blood clots. Medications are often given to thin the blood
in order to further prevent blood clots.
Patients may also experience difficulty with urination. This
difficulty can be a side effect of medications given for pain. As a result,
catheters are often placed into the bladder to allow normal passage
of urine.
Immediately after surgery, patients are encouraged to frequently
perform deep breathing and coughing in order to avoid lung congestion
and the collapse of tiny airways in the lungs. Patients are also
given a "blow bottle," whereby active blowing against
resistance maintains the opening of the breathing passages.
Next: What is involved in the rehabilitation process after total hip joint replacement? »
- etidronate, Didronel - Information on Etidronate (Didronel) a drug prescribed for the treatment of Paget's disease and the prevention of heterotopic ossification. Off-label uses include the prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis and treatment of hypercalcemia.
- CT Scan (Computerized Axial Tomography) - CT Scan (Computerized Axial Tomography, CAT scan) is a procedure that assists in diagnosing tumors, fractures, bony structures, and infections in the organs and tissues of the body.
- Rheumatoid Arthritis - Learn more about rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease that causes chronic joint inflammation, which has symptoms that include stiffness, fever, muscle and joint aches, loss of appetite, and fatigue. Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis incorporates the use of first-line drugs (aspirin and corticosteroids for pain and inflammation) and second-line drugs (methotrexate and hydroxychloroquine to prevent joint destruction and promote remission).
Latest Medical News
Arthritis RSS