You are here
Preoperative information
Prepare yourself
- Maintain or improve your mobility and strength as possible prior surgery.
- Consider engaging a physiotherapist to help with this “prehab”.
- If crutches, frames, scooters or other gait aids are likely to be required, obtain and practice using these.
- Check if you need to stop taking blood thinning or any other medications and if so for how long prior.
- Cease smoking if at all possible, cut down if not.
- Inform us if you become unwell or develop scratches, sores, infections or ulcers on the leg being operated on.
Prepare for admission
- You will be provided with an admission pack with further details when booking surgery.
- Admission forms need to be completed and forwarded to the hospital well ahead.
- For major joint replacements and fusions, you will be seen by nurses at pre-admission clinic to go over the planned process.
- There may be imaging or pathology tests to be completed
- You may need to be seen by the anaesthetist or a general physician prior to surgery.
- You will need to fast prior to surgery. No food or drinks for at least 6 hours prior. If admission is in the morning fast from midnight, if in the afternoon fast from 7am.
- Bring admission paperwork and imaging with you to hospital.
- You will also need sleepwear, clothes, toiletries, phone charger, books or similar to pass time.
- Do not apply moisturiser to the operative limb on the day of surgery.
Prepare for home
- If you expect to need crutches, walking frame or knee scooter hire these prior and bring them to hospital.
- Have someone organised to pick you up from hospital on the day of discharge.
- Get a chair or stool for the shower if necessary.
- Stock up on food, pre-prepare meals, use online shopping.
- Think about clothing. If you are required to have a cast or boot on your foot-wide pants or a skirt that can be worn over it easily are helpful.
- Have some simple medical items such as dressings, Panadol, and bandages at hand.