The Day of Your Surgery

Enjoy your dinner the night before your surgery, but remember you should not eat or drink anything after 12 midnight. Following admission on the day of surgery, you will be taken to the operating room. Your surgeon will see you before your operation. Do not be alarmed if you are asked several times which hip is to be operated upon. This is one of the many safety checks made to assure your good results. Your family should wait in the waiting area so we can tell them when you are out of surgery.

Your actual surgery will take approximately two to three hours if you have had no prior surgery; however, you should tell your family that there may be a delay from the time you leave your room until surgery begins. Once out of surgery, you will be taken to the recovery room and watched closely while the effects of anesthesia wear away. The usual time for this process is one and a half to two hours.

If there is any question about your medical condition, or if you arrive in the recovery room late in the day, you may be taken to the surgical intensive care room (SICU). This is another safety precaution and should not cause alarm. If your condition allows, you will go back to your regular room the next morning.

When you awaken, you may have an abduction pillow between your legs to prevent dislocation of the hip, and special stockings on your legs to help prevent the formation of blood clots.

A small tube may be coming from your hip attached to a bottle at the side of your bed. This is a drain used to remove blood from the hip.

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