XI. THE OPERATION
On the day of surgery you will first be taken to the pre-anesthesia room where the anesthesiologist will discuss your anesthesia options. Two types of anesthesia are commonly used for hip surgery. The first is a general anesthesia which puts you in a deep sleep and therefore requires assistance with your breathing. The second type of anesthesia (spinal anesthesia) works by numbing your legs so you do not feel the operation. This is done by placing numbing medicine in the spinal canal in your lower back. You are also given medicine to relax you so you will fall asleep, but you can still breathe on your own. The potential advantages of the spinal anesthesia include less blood loss and less risk of lung problems and blood clots in the legs. A long acting narcotic is used in combination with the numbing medicine to help you get longer pain control post operatively.
You will then be taken to the operating room and devices will be placed on you to monitor your heart, blood pressure, breathing, and temperature. The anesthesia will be administered, you will be placed on your side with the operative side up, and a slightly curved incision will be made over your hip and thigh. I now perform most total hip and hip resurfacing procedures using minimally invasive techniques requiring usually a 3 to 4 inch incision.
At the end of the surgical procedure, the incision is then closed with subcuticular sutures, steri-strips placed over incision, and a compression dressing is applied.
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