In some cases, patients may need blood after surgery.

The surgery takes approximately two to two-and-a-half hours for surgery. Some of this time is taken by the operating-room staff to prepare for the surgery.

You may need blood after the surgery. You may donate your own blood, if able, or use the community-blood-bank supply.

You may have a general anesthesia or a spinal anesthesia. The choice is between you and the anesthesiologist.

Yes, but we will keep you comfortable with appropriate medication. Generally, most patients are able to stop very strong medication within one day. The day of surgery, most patients control their own medicine with a special pump that delivers the drug directly into their IV.

Risks include infection, blood loss, blood clots, and damages to nerves and arteries. Every precaution is taken to minimize these risks, including the use of pre and post-surgery antibiotics, short term use of anticoagulants or compression devices and careful surgical technique.

The scar will be approximately 6–8 inches long. It will be along the side of your hip.

Yes. Until your muscle strength returns after surgery, you will need a walker, a cane or crutches. Your equipment needs will be determined by the physical therapist and ordered for you by us and delivered to you before you leave the hospital.

You will be discharged home when you are medically stable, you pass physical therapy, and your pain is controlled. For most patients it is about 2-3 days following surgery.

You can shower as soon as you feel comfortable doing so. You will have a waterproof bandages but try to avoid bath till sutures are out or incision healed.

After hip-replacement surgery, you will need a high toilet seat for about three months. You might also benefit from a bath seat or grab bars in the bathroom. Your home equipment needs can be arranged while you are in the hospital.

Physiotherapy plays a significant role in post-operative recovery of patient. It helps to gain early muscle strengthening, posture correction and proper gait but Specifically, patients should avoid hip flexion of more than 90 degrees and rotation of more than 35-40 degrees in either direction as well as avoid crossing the midline of the body for approximately 12 weeks. We find the best therapy for our patients initially to be walking.

Yes. Initially, you will lead with your un-operated leg when going up stairs, and with your operated leg when coming down. As your muscles get stronger and your motion improves, you will be able to perform stairs in a more normal fashion, usually in about one month. A good rule of thumb to remember when deciding which leg to lead with is “good people go up and bad people go down”.

Yes. This is normal as the metal ball is contacting the plastic or metal liner. The weight of the leg may slightly distract the ball from the socket during the swing phase of gait leading to this sensation. This is not a harmful situation and some patients do experience this.

This is a normal and expected finding. The sensory nerves are interrupted with the incision and this results in an area of numbness around the hip. Often, this improves over the course of one year, but may always feel somewhat different.

You will probably set off the alarm as you progress through the security checkpoint. We will provide you a metal detection card for this purpose.

Ice should be used for the first several weeks after total hip replacement surgery, particularly if you have a lot of swelling or discomfort. Once the initial swelling has decreased, you may use ice and/or heat.

Do not drive while taking narcotic pain medicine because it can impair your judgment and ability to operate the car safely. If it is your right hip that is replaced, you may start driving as soon as you are not taking narcotic pain medication during the day and walking with a cane. If it is your left hip it will be around 4-6 weeks before you will be able to drive.

You will be able to put full weight on your new hip the day of surgery. You will probably need a walker or crutches at first but should be able to progress to walking without any assistive devices, usually at 4-6 weeks after surgery. This is directed by a patient’s confidence and comfort.

You will need to keep your knee and hip flexion around 90 degrees and do not cross your legs for 6 weeks after surgery. You will need to sleep with a pillow between your knees for that time period as well.

Yes, for three to six months. Typically swelling becomes most significant 7-10 days post op. To decrease swelling, elevate your leg and apply ice for 20 minutes at a time (3-4 times a day). If swelling is unresponsive to ice/elevation and /or associated with calf pain or shortness of breath than contact immediately.

You can resume sexual activity after 2-3 weeks, but on a firm mattress. Be the passive partner for the first 6 weeks after surgery or use a less dominant position.

10-14 days post-operative for wound check, x-ray, removal of staples, discussion of pain management and DVT management
6 weeks post op for wound check, discussion of any problems and activities
6 months post op for X-ray and evaluation
1 year post op for X-ray and evaluation
2 years post op for X-ray and evaluation
5 years for x-ray and evaluation

We would expect you to have a 95% chance of being satisfied with your hip in 10 years and a 90% chance of being satisfied in 20 years.