Questions for surgeon pre-op

-
Below is my list of questions to ask Dr. Mayo pre-op.

About pre-op care and my dysplasia
  • How many degrees is my dysplasia?
  • How’s the other hip? When will I need surgery on it?
  • What are my chances for a successful surgery?
  • Should I be following any special diet or medication restrictions?

About the surgery

  • How long is the surgery?
  • Will you be doing the entire surgery or do other surgeons help?
  • Chances of finding FAI or tears in labrum? Then what?
  • Worst-case scenario while in surgery? Any chance of THR or no PAO?
  • Will I be intubated?
  • Do you do a bone graft?
  • Where will scar be?
  • What kind of stitching?
  • When will the catheter go in?
  • What are the screws made of?
  • Will I lose much blood during surgery? Should I donate my own blood prior to surgery? If so, will I get that blood back?
About post-op care
  • What can I expect during my hospital stay? How long will I be in the hospital?
  • How will my pain be managed in the hospital and at home? 
  • Will I get an epidural? When will it go in? 
  • What items do I need at home to help with recovery? 
  • When can I drive?
  • When can I shower or get in the water?
  • When can I sleep on my op side? Stomach?
  • When can I have sex?
  • How long do I need to be off birth control pills?
  • How long will I be on crutches? Do you provide crutches or should I purchase my own?
  • How long do I have to wear the TED stockings?
  • Where will nerve damage be and when can I expect feeling to come back?
  • Do you plan to remove the screws at a later time?
  • Will I have a visiting nurse or PT back at home?
  • Will I get protocol to take to my PT?
  • Special diet or alcohol restrictions post-op?
  • What kind of follow-up care can I expect? When will my next appointment be?
  • May I have a copy of the surgical report, x-rays?
  • Chances of nonunion, sciatic problems, nerve damage?
  • Chances of bone ossification? What will this feel like, how will it affect my healing, etc.

Comments

MNav said…
Wow! You're thorough. You brought up a number of good questions. I copied/pasted them into Word, added my own, and printed it out. I'm going to keep it in my ever-growing hip file to take to the hospital.

Thanks for doing this! Michelle
September 09, 2008
Anonymous said…
I used this as a template before my first PAO last year. Now I send it to people getting ready for their first PAOs. Thank you.

My right PAO is 10 months post and feels great. I'm getting ready for the left on 8/24/11. I can't wait to be active again. You're super inspiring. Thanks for that, too.
June 27, 2011
Cassie said…
Swerve, I'm glad this list was helpful. I'm also happy to hear your first PAO went well. The second one is easier! Best of luck!
June 30, 2011
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dreams

-
I still have bad dreams about having hip surgeries. It's been nine years since I went under the knife. The surgeries seem far from mind – I don't have daily pain, I don't talk about hip dysplasia, and when I get undressed, I rarely notice the thin white scars on either side of my hips. When I do think about it all, gratitude and pride overwhelm me. I think of my recovery and wonderful life that has followed. It's strange then, that my brain sums up this life-changing event with disturbing scenes from an operating room, flooding me with anxiety and reminding me of the unpleasant parts of PAOs. But maybe the nightmares have some value, after all. Being reminded of the stress and pain and work that went into fixing my hips also reminds me of how strong I was to get through it. Never forget.
Read more

Out of surgery

-
This is Cassie's Mom, after trying to connect to the internet unsuccessfully several times in her room, we have decided that Cassie will dictate to me and I'll try to keep you updated by taking the computer elsewhere in the building where there is a strong enough signal. Cassie's surgery took 5 1/2 hours this time, and Dr. Mayo said it went very well. He did find a cyst in the joint, in the same place as the left one...a matching set! He said that was kind of strange. She woke up in a lot of pain and Dr. Mayo said it took some time to get it under control, fortunately she did not remember much of that! She was out of recovery just 1 1/2 hours later and after a breathing treatment; into a room by 9:30, a little nauseas, and with a very dry throat. She kicked me out a little after midnight, and I took a cab to the hotel, since my carriage had turned back into a pumpkin. During the night they did a Doppler test because they were not detecting a pulse in her right leg, but th...
Read more

4 years post-op LPAO

-
Image
It's been four years since my left hip surgery, the day-long event that became a years-long cornucopia for which I am eternally thankful. My thanks does not wane, even though the periods of pain-free living have started to. Between anniversaries three and four, I have to admit that life has been a little tougher. My hips hurt more often and are less willing to take the beatings an active lifestyle evokes. My mind returns to dark places of my past, when pain ruled and I couldn't count on my body. The most challenging aspect is not letting fears and negative thoughts squash the positive feelings and abilities my new hips gave me. Post-surgery pains are completely different than pre-surgery's. Sporadic, unpredictable and in places I didn't think even counted as "hip pain." Post-surgery pains also have been easier to control, just harder to understand. I am considering a visit to a hip doc in my town, rather than a flight to Tacoma to see Dr. Mayo. I need to...
Read more