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The Day Before Surgery
You should receive a call from the surgeon’s office to confirm your procedure and the time you need to arrive at the hospital. If you do not receive a call by 3:00 p.m. the day before surgery, please call your surgeon’s office. For Monday surgery, call Friday afternoon. You will be told which medications to take the morning of surgery with a small sip of water.
Do
• Remove nail polish.
• Shower and wash your hair the night before. Bathing helps reduce the amount of bacteria on the skin and may lessen the risk of infection after surgery. Use the antibacterial soap provided and follow the instructions.
• Sleep in clean pajamas or clothes.
• Sleep on freshly laundered linens.
• Get a good night’s sleep – it’s important to be well-rested before surgery.
Do Not
• Do NOT eat or drink anything after the time you were instructed; ice chips, gum, or mints are NOT allowed.
• Do NOT use lotions or powders.
• Do NOT shave before surgery.
• Do NOT shower the morning of your surgery.
The Day of Surgery
On the day of surgery, you must remember several important things:
• Take only the medications you have been told to take; take them with a small sip of water.
• Comply with the strict instructions about food / beverage consumption.
• Do not wear make-up or jewelry.
• Do not take insulin unless otherwise instructed.
• Do not take your oral diabetes medication (pills) on the morning of your surgery.
When You Arrive
• You will be asked to empty your bladder.
• Any glasses, contacts, hearing aids, or dentures will be removed before surgery and returned after surgery.
• Advanced directives will be noted.
• You will have your vital signs checked (Vital signs are your heart beat rate (pulse), breathing rate, body temperature, and blood pressure).
• Your operative site will be prepped and the surgeon will review the procedure.
• An intravenous (IV) line will be started to give you fluids and medication.
Anesthesia
The anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist will talk with you about the types of anesthesia used during surgery.
General Anesthesia puts you to sleep following an injection of medications into your IV.
You will not feel pain and will be completely asleep throughout your surgery.
Regional Anesthesia numbs a part of your body with an injection of local anesthetic. For total joint replacement surgery of the knee and hip, regional anesthesia may involve injections into your back or around the nerves in your leg or hip. You will be awake but will not feel any pain.
Remember to tell the anesthesiologist (or nurse anesthetist) if you prefer to be asleep or want to stay awake. It is your choice.
The Surgery
Your surgery takes about one to three hours to complete. While you are in the operating room, your loved ones may wait in the surgical waiting room. The surgeon or representative will speak with your family while you are recovering.
Right After Surgery
You will recover in the Post-Anesthesia Unit (PACU) and be cared for by a nurse before being taken to your hospital room. The average time in this unit is about two hours. While here:
• Your vital signs will be checked.
• You will be asked questions to determine if anesthesia is wearing off.
• Your pain medications will be started.
• You will be warmed with blankets if you are cold.
• You will be given oxygen to help you breathe (if needed).
• You will wear compression sleeves on your lower legs to help prevent blood clots.
• Your surgical site will be wrapped with a cold pack to reduce swelling and pain.
• You might have a urinary catheter placed to empty your bladder.
• You may have an x-ray taken of your joint replacement.
Your Hospital Stay
After your stay in the PACU, you will be moved to a nursing unit that specializes in the care of patients with joint replacements. Some patients, for various other reasons, are moved to another nursing unit.
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