Getting Ready for Hip (joint replacement) Surgery – at home

What happens before surgery?

Preparing your home

• Remove all throw rugs and pick up all electrical cords and trip hazards from the areas of passage. Ensure there is a clear path thorough out your home, which includes the bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, and living area.
• Make sure handrails in the shower, bath, and stairwells are securely fastened.
• A stable chair with two arms to sit in after surgery will help with ambulation.
• An elevated toilet seat, a walker and a shower chair are necessary.  Arrangements can be made to have these items delivered to your home or to the hospital before you are discharged.
• A “hip kit” is very helpful.  These kits include a reacher, sock-aid, long-handled shoe horn, and a long-handled sponge for bathing. The “hip kit” may be purchased from any pharmacy which sells home health equipment.

Additional preparation

No smoking for at least a week before surgery.

 

Joint Moves Pre-Operative Education sessions

Second Thursday of the month 2:00 p.m. or the fourth Tuesday of the month at 6:00 p.m.

These sessions are designed to prepare you for your upcoming joint replacement; providing you with educational materials and answering any questions that you may have.

Pre-Admission Testing

Blood work, a urinalysis, an EKG and a chest x-ray will need to be completed. These tests will be done in your physician’s office or at the hospital in the pre-admission testing area. Please bring a complete list of all your medications (or the bottles) to the pre-admission visit.

Your nose will be swabbed and sent to the lab for evaluation.  Information specific to your nose being swabbed and the next steps taken if the results are positive can be found on Page 10 in your booklet or you can click here.

You will meet with an Anesthesiologist during this visit.

Medications like Coumadin, Plavix, or Aspirin may be stopped for 5 to 7 days before surgery (or as directed by your physician).

Experiencing any problems with your teeth, an evaluation with a dentist before surgery may be needed. Infections can enter the blood stream through the gums. By treating dental problems before hip surgery will decrease the risk of developing an infection in the hip.

3-Day Shower with Hibiclens (CHG) before surgery

The First Shower

Two Days before Surgery: Take a shower and wash your entire body, including your hair and scalp in the following manner:

• Wash your hair using normal shampoo.  Make sure you rinse the shampoo from your hair and body.  Wash your face with your regular soap or cleanser.
• Using a fresh, clean washcloth and 1/3 of the Hibiclens Soap or CHG, wash from your neck down.  Leave on skin for 3-5 minutes. This is very important.
• Rinse your body thoroughly.  This is very important.
• Using a fresh, clean towel, dry your body.
• Dress in freshly washed clothes.
• Do not use lotions, powders, or creams after this shower.  Deodorant is OK.

The Second Shower

The Day before Surgery:  Take a shower and wash your entire body, including your hair and scalp in the following manner:

• Wash your hair using normal shampoo.  Make sure you rinse the shampoo from your hair and body.  Wash your face with your regular soap or cleanser.
• Using a fresh, clean washcloth and 1/3 of the Hibiclens Soap or CHG, wash from your neck down.  Leave on skin for 3-5 minutes. This is very important.
• Rinse your body thoroughly.  This is very important.
• Using a fresh, clean towel, dry your body.
• Dress in freshly washed clothes.
• Fresh clean sheets and pillowcases should be used after this shower.
• Do not use lotions, powders or creams after this shower.  Deodorant is OK.

The Final Shower

The Day of Surgery: Repeat the shower in the following manner:

• Wash your hair using normal shampoo.  Make sure you rinse the shampoo from your hair and body.  Wash your face with your regular soap or cleanser.
• Using a fresh, clean washcloth and the remaining 1/3 of the Hibiclens Soap or CHG, wash from your neck down.  Leave on skin for 3-5 minutes. This is very important.
• Rinse your body thoroughly.  This is very important.
• Using a fresh, clean towel, dry your body.
• Dress warmly with freshly washed clothes.  Keeping warm before surgery decreases your risk of developing an infection.
• Do not use lotions, powders, creams, hair products, or makeup after this shower. Deodorant is OK unless you are having a Total Shoulder Replacement.

It would also be a good idea to keep pets out of the bed once this process began.

CAUTION: Do not use Hibiclens (CHG) on your head or face.  Avoid contact with your eyes. (If contact occurs, flush eyes thoroughly with water).  Do not use if you are allergic to CHG or any inactive ingredients in this soap.  Avoid use in the genital area, as irritation may result.  Use your regular soap in that area.  

 

Night before Surgery

Nothing to eat or drink after midnight.

Morning of Surgery

Upon arrival to the hospital, please check in at the Admission Desk. A Pre-Operative Registered Nurse (RN) will greet you and your family.  A hospital gown and a warm blanket will be provided.  The RN will start an IV. Sequential leggings (compression device) will be placed on your unaffected leg to help prevent blood clots from forming in your legs.  The RN will wash your affected leg and place sterile towels around it.

Antibiotics will be started through your IV. The surgeon will mark the surgery site. At that time, any unanswered questions can be answered.

An Operating Room Registered Nurse will transport you to an operating suite. The RN will ask questions about your surgery procedure. An Anesthesia provider will be waiting in the suite.  The Anesthesia provider will monitor your vital signs through out your procedure.