The facilities we partner with provide comprehensive orthopedic care, with the full array of trauma and fracture surgeries
Brief description of the selected procedures has been acquired from http://medlineplus.gov
What to Expect After Surgery
Right after surgery
You will receive intravenous (IV) antibiotics for about a day after surgery. You will also be given medications to control pain, and perhaps medications to prevent blood clots (anticoagulants). It is not unusual to have an upset stomach or feel constipated after surgery. Talk with your doctor or nurse if you feel ill.
When you wake up from surgery, you may have a catheter, which is a small tube connected to your bladder, so you don't have to get out of bed to urinate. You may also have a compression pump or compression stocking on your leg, which squeezes your leg to keep the blood circulating and to help prevent blood clots, and a cushion between your legs to keep your new hip in the correct position.
Your health professional may teach you to do simple breathing exercises to help prevent congestion in your lungs while your activity level is decreased. You may also learn to move your feet up and down to flex your muscles and keep your blood circulating, and begin to learn about how to keep your hip in the correct positions while you move in bed and get out of bed.
The first few days
You will probably still be taking some medications. You will gradually take less and less pain medication. You may continue anticoagulant medications for several weeks after surgery.
Rehabilitation (rehab) after hip replacement surgery may vary depending on whether the surgeon used cement or cementless methods to attach the joint replacement surfaces. Whether your surgeon used cement also determines how much weight you can put on your leg. Your surgeon will let you and your rehab team know what limitations you have. Usually, you cannot put any weight on an uncemented hip for about 6 weeks. With a cemented or hybrid (one piece cemented and one piece uncemented) hip, you can usually put some weight on your leg right away, but you'll still need a walker, a cane, or crutches for several weeks.
In general, most people get out of bed with help on the day after surgery. Over the next few days, you will learn how to walk with a walker or crutches. Your physical therapist and possible an occupational therapist will teach you how to exercise, walk, and engage in activities such as dressing and cooking while you allow your hip to heal. You will learn the following important precautions to keep your hip from dislocating:
- Your hip should not bend more than 90 degrees.
- Do not sit on low chairs, beds, or toilets. You may want to get a special raiser for your toilet seat temporarily.
- Do not raise your knee higher than your hip.
- Do not lean forward while you are sitting down, or as you sit down or stand up
- Do not bend over more than 90 degrees; this means you can't bend down to tie your shoes for a while.
- For about 8 weeks, your leg should not cross the center of your body toward the other leg.
- Do not cross your legs.
- Be careful as you get in or out of bed or a car, so your leg does not cross that imaginary line in the middle of your body.
- Your leg should not rotate in or too far out.
- Keep your toes pointing forward or slightly out.
Most people go home within a few days to a week after surgery. Some people who need more extensive rehab or those who don't have someone who can help at home go to a specialized rehab center for more treatment.
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