Discharge Destination
Many patients spend some time as an inpatient at the Mater Private Hospital Rehabilitation Unit after their hip replacement. Your stay is for as long as you need it (between three days and three weeks typically) to be safe and confident when you return to your home.
Dr Phong Nguyen will visit you on the orthopaedic ward after your operation to discuss rehabilitation with you. There is a ‘Rehabilitation in the Home’ option also. Please check with you Private Health Fund to make sure you are covered for this post operatively.
If you have a favourite physiotherapist that you would like to see post operatively, book an appointment to see them for after your wound review with Dr Ward. She will write a referral so that your rehabilitation is safe and efficient. The team at Active Rehab will see you while you are in hospital, and will usually call you in the week before your operation.
Post Operative Medications
Pain relief after hip replacement surgery is tailored for each patient during their inpatient stay. Your anaesthetist and Dr Chris Corney will help with the best plan for you.
If you need more pain medication after you go home, it is best to see your GP if you can. It would be a good idea to book an appointment to see them in the second week of your post operative period ahead of your admission to hospital.
Post Operative Appointments
Wound check
This will be done at about two weeks. All going well your dressing from surgery will stay on until this appointment. Usually the stitches do not need removing.
Check X-ray
Dr Ward will see you again at two months post operatively with a repeat X-ray. Amber will email you a form for that. Please get the X-ray done close to your appointment date, the same day is absolutely fine. You can choose whichever X-ray company is most convenient for you.
There will be another X-ray appointment at one year and then five years post operatively.