Hip Replacement Patient Notebook - Christiana Care Health System
Hip Replacement Patient Notebook - Christiana Care Health System
Hip Replacement Patient Notebook - Christiana Care Health System
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Stopping and Recognizing<br />
Potential Complications<br />
Pleae read the FYI Sheets “DVT” and “Bleeding Precautions”.<br />
Signs of Infection<br />
■ Added swelling, redness at incision site.<br />
■<br />
■<br />
Change in color, amount, odor of drainage.<br />
Added pain in knee.<br />
■ Fever greater than 101 degrees F.<br />
Stop Infection<br />
■ Wash your hands before and after you take care of your incision.<br />
■ Take proper care of your incision as explained by your nurse and surgeon.<br />
■ You will need to take antibiotics before having dental work or other treatments from now<br />
on.<br />
■ Tell your doctor and dentist that you have a total joint replacement.<br />
Blood Clots in Legs<br />
Surgery may cause your blood flow to slow and clot in the veins of your legs, forming a<br />
blood clot. This is why you take blood thinners after surgery. If a clot does happen you may<br />
need to be admitted to the hospital for care. Prompt care most often stops the more serious<br />
problem of pulmonary embolus (A blood clot in a vein in the leg and moves to the lung<br />
where it can block blood flow).<br />
Signs of Blood Clots in Legs<br />
■ Swelling in your thigh, calf or ankle that does not go down when you raise your legs above<br />
the level of your heart..<br />
■ Pain, tenderness in your calf.<br />
NOTE: blood clots can form in either leg.<br />
Prevention of Blood Clots<br />
■ Do Post-operative exercises — ankle pumps, quad and gluteal sets.<br />
■<br />
■<br />
Walking.<br />
Blood thinners such as Lovenox, aspirin, or Coumadin. (as ordered by your surgeon)
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