Hip joint replacement

Injury	Diseases	Nutrition	Poison
Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

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On the day of your surgery:

You will usually be asked not to drink or eat anything for 6 to 12 hours before the procedure.
Take your drugs your doctor told you to take with a small sip of water.

Your doctor or nurse will tell you when to arrive at the hospital.

After the Procedure

You will stay in the hospital for 3 to 5 days. But full recovery will take from 2 to 3 months to a year.

After surgery:

You will have a large dressing (bandage) over your surgical cut. A small drainage tube may be placed during surgery to help drain blood that collects in your hip joint after surgery.
You will have an IV (a catheter or tube, that is inserted into a vein, usually in your arm). You will receive fluids through the IV until you are able to drink on your own.
You may have a Foley catheter inserted into your bladder to drain urine. Usually it is removed 2 or 3 days after surgery.
You will wear special compression stockings on your legs. These stockings improve blood flow and reduce your risk of getting blood clots.
Most people will also take blood-thinning medicine to reduce the risk of blood clots.
You may be taught how to use a device called a spirometer and do deep breathing and coughing exercises. Doing these exercises will help prevent pneumonia.
Your doctor will prescribe pain medicines to control your pain. Your doctor may also prescribe antibiotics to prevent infection.

You will be encouraged to start moving and walking as soon as the first day after surgery.

You will be helped out of bed to a chair on the first day after surgery. You may even be asked to try walking.
When you are in bed, bend and straighten your ankles often. You will also be taught other leg exercises to do while you are in bed to prevent blood clots. It is important to do these exercises.
You will be encouraged to do as much as you can for yourself by the second day. This includes going to the bathroom and taking walks in the hallways, always with someone helping you.
You will learn the proper positions for your legs and hips.