Preparing for Surgery
Total hip replacement is an elective procedure this gives the opportunity to make sure you are as well as possible before the operation.
Eat healthily , if you are overweight this is an opportunity to lose a few pounds. Losing weight will make things easier in your recovery.
Stop smoking- even if it’s just for a few weeks before your operation. It helps wound healing and recovery.
All being well you will not be in hospital for too long and we want you to think and prepare not only for your admission to hospital but also for your discharge.
Having a family member or a neighbour at hand to help in the first few weeks after the operation would be very useful in speeding up your overall recovery. Having a driver and someone to help with shopping for a few weeks will make things easier for you.
Stock up with some staples such as canned and frozen food and pre-made meals and arrange for someone to bring you milk bread and some fresh fruit and vegetables in the early stages of your recovery.
You may need to rearrange your home, it’s important to make changes so everything will be ready when you get back from hospital make sure that your house is not easy to move around in whilst using a walking frame and crutches and remove possible tripping hazards such as loose rug. Consider your sleeping arrangements it may be easier for you to sleep downstairs for the first week or two.
Make sure that you have a firm chair with armrests and a high seat to setting.
You may want to install some grab bars or railings in the bathroom next to the toilet or bathtub, a banister may also be useful.
Before the operation you will have a full assessment by one of the pre-admission nurses, you will be sent a questionnaire about your general health to fill-in and bring with you you will have a series of blood tests, your blood pressure will be checked and a heart tracing performed. It is useful to bring in all your medication at this time this is performed to make sure that you are fit and well enough to have that the surgery and that your are as fit as you can be at the time of the operation.
What our Patients say
My initial consultation with Mr Alun John was in February. He heard me out as to how my deteriorating hip was causing increasing pain and affecting my mobility and well-being. The hip, according to him was severely arthritic and we agreed upon a date for a hip replacement in April. He fully explained what the operation entailed. The original date had to be cancelled due to the Covid pandemic. Mr John took the trouble to get in touch with me personally and relay the bad news, promising he would get in touch as soon as the situation improved. True to his word, he contacted me mid July and offered a new date. The operation was successfully performed in early August. I am now pain free and increasingly mobile. During my stay in hospital and the subsequent follow-up appointment I was impressed by his calm and professional approach. Under his initial gruff exterior there is a kindness and a genuine care for the patient.
Mr John was recommended to me by another consultant due to his expertise in complex hip replacement operations. I have found Mr John to be both knowledgeable and professional throughout both my complicated total hip replacement procedures. He has put myself and my family at ease throughout and has been extremely helpful and efficient in dealing with any enquiry or problem. I would highly recommend him to others and have already done so.