Preparing for a hip replacement surgery several weeks ahead ensures the best possible procedure outcome for you or a loved one. The health of the individual undergoing a surgery should be at its maximum, especially upper-body strength. A device to help aid in walking such as crutches or a cane may be needed in the beginning phases of physical therapy. Thus, an exercise program which increases strength may be started in the weeks before a surgery.
Other medical tests should be given to a patient prior to surgery:
- Blood work, with a possibility for autologous blood donation (the process a patient goes through to donate blood if a transfusion is done), which is often needed after a hip procedure. A first donation must be made 42 days prior to surgery and the last made less than seven days prior.
- Urinalysis, which is especially important for older women who often get urinary infections which aren’t detected.
- EKG, monitors cardiac status.
- Chest X-Ray, helps prevent respiratory issues complicated by surgical anesthesia.
Meetings with the following specialists are also important for a smooth operation:
- Hospital nursing staff.
- A physical or occupational therapist.
- The doctor doing your surgery.
- A social worker or someone who can help you with necessary tasks following your surgery.
Hopefully you’re not having to go through a revision surgery because of the DePuy ASR hip recall, but if you are you should make sure to follow all of your doctors orders and as soon as you can ask about how to strengthen your hip so that you recover faster.
