Written instructions will be provided upon discharge from your surgical procedure. Dr. King has a general post-operative instruction form that will be given to you and your family/friends. This document contains information about your procedure, follow-up appointment, physical therapy, dressing changes/bathing, diet, ice, elevation, and medications. Basic information about the most common medications prescribed is included in the form, but Dr. King will circle and provide a separate prescription for the specific medication he feels is most appropriate for your particular procedure. For additional information, please read about specific medications below.
An example of this post-operative instruction form is provided and available for download and printing.
It is common for Dr. King to utilize post-operative medical equipment to aid in your recovery. Examples of these types of equipment include braces, slings, motion machines (CPM), ice machines and pneumatic compression devices (foot pumps). Information about specific equipment will be provided by OS Medical prior to and/or on the day of your surgery.
Specific discharge instructions will be given at the time of discharge from the hospital.
In general, patients are either discharged to home or a rehabilitation facility after 2 to 4 days in the hospital. This decision is based upon evaluations and recommendations from Dr. King, physical therapist and medical consultants. There is a team of support staff at the hospital to help coordinate the details of your discharge.
If you are discharged home after your hospital stay, you will receive “home health care”. In general, this care will consist of wound evaluation by a visiting nurse, blood draws as needed and physical therapy.
Most total joint replacement procedures require anti-coagulation medications for one month after surgery. These medications thin the blood and help protect against the formation of dangerous blood clots in the legs and pelvis. The most common medication used by Dr. King is Coumadin.
Patients on Coumadin need periodic blood tests to check the amount of thinning present. In general, Dr. King requires blood draws on Mondays and Thursdays by the nurses from home health care. The values will be reviewed and the dose of Coumadin adjusted as needed.
For additional information on Coumadin please see Epocrates drug lookup.