Before your operation
Frequently you may be invited to attend a pre-assessment clinic two weeks before your operation to determine your suitability for surgery. At this time a detailed medical assessment will be carried out and a full medical history taken. Various physical examinations will be undertaken such as heart monitoring, X-rays, blood and urine samples to ensure that you are sufficiently healthy. You may be asked to bring details of any medications you are taking to this meeting – take along a list or the packaging.
You will be given advice on anything you can do to prepare for surgery and will be asked about your home circumstances so that your discharge from hospital may be planned. If you live alone, have a caregiver or feel you need extra support, tell the team so that help can be arranged before you go into hospital. You will be trained in the use of either a walker or crutches. You will be non-weight bearing immediately after the surgery, so you will receive pre-operative instructions in how to maintain the non-weight bearing status. Make sure you use this session to discuss any further concerns you may have about your surgery, preparations beforehand or recovery afterwards.
Important: The information and guidance provided here is general in nature and should not be considered as medical advice in any way. You should always seek detailed advice from a qualified medical practitioner.
