1. Preoperative Evaluation and Testing:
Your surgery will usually take place approximately 4-8 weeks from the time of scheduling. During this time, you will be busy having blood tests, urine tests, x-rays, and possibly some special studies such as a hip aspiration, bone scan, indium scan, and/or CT scan. You normally will also require a chest x-ray and electrocardiogram. Some of these tests will be ordered either by your surgeon or can be performed by your internist.

You will be given the opportunity to donate your own blood pre-operatively so that it may be given back to you during and after surgery. For first time hip replacements expected blood loss is low enough that this is rarely necessary unless you are anemic. Even then, you may be so anemic that you are not able to donate. We will obtain a blood count pre-operatively and advise you as to what we recommend. For revision hip surgery, this is sometimes very helpful, particularly if the surgery is expected to have a significant blood loss. Please discuss this with your surgeon. If you elect to donate your own blood, arrangements will be made at a local Blood Bank to donate blood beginning 4 weeks pre-operatively. You will be asked to take iron pills to help you replace the blood that is taken.

You will need to have a complete history and physical examination performed by an internist or family practitioner. This can either be your own private physician or one that your surgeon recommends. It is usually best if this physician has privileges at Sutter General so that he/she can be available to manage any medical problems that may arise after surgery. The purpose of this visit will be to determine if you are medically able to undergo the surgery. Some additional consultations may be required from other specialists such as cardiologists, pulmonary specialists, and anesthesiologists. These will also be arranged prior to your surgery if they are needed.

Certain medicines (typically aspirin, anti-inflammatories, blood thinners, and rheumatoid medications) will need to be stopped 1-2 weeks prior to surgery. Your doctor’s nurse will let you know when to stop taking these, and when it is safe to resume these medicines.

2 . The Pre-Op Visit
Within one week prior to your surgery you will return to see your surgeon. During this visit he will review all of the laboratory data and consultations from other physicians to ensure that all is well for the surgery. Some laboratory tests will need to be repeated at this visit. Most importantly your surgeon will obtain your consent for surgery. This will involve reviewing the potential benefits, risks, and alternatives to the planned treatment.

3. Pre-Op Testing
After you see your surgeon for your pre-op visit you will go to the hospital for pre operative tests. You will hand carry the doctors orders and present them to the reception desk in the foyer of the hospital. You will be directed to the admitting office for preliminary registration and then escorted to the laboratory on the 3rd floor. Following the completion of these tests you can return home.

4. Before Coming To The Hospital
The night before surgery please take a shower and use the suppository given at your pre-op visit. It is important to clean out the lower bowel prior to surgery because initially after surgery the bowels do not function normally. You usually will not have a bowel movement for 3-5 days after surgery, which is normal. Therefore to avoid constipation and impaction, it is important to use a suppository before surgery.

The morning of surgery please take a shower. This will help to decrease the bacterial count on your skin at the time of surgery.

You may have nothing to eat or drink for 8 hours prior to surgery with the exception of certain medications that you take daily. Routine medicines (blood pressure, cholesterol, etc.) can typically be taken. Diabetic medicines typically are not taken. Please ask your doctor’s nurse or your doctor to review these with you.