Knee Replacement

Knee Replacement – What happens during my hospital stay?

Once the decision to proceed with knee replacement has been made, a convenient date for surgery will then be agreed. 

You will be invited to attend a Pre-Assessment Clinic around 1 week before your operation.  At this clinic, your blood pressure will be checked, a few simple blood tests done and occasionally an ECG or chest x-ray requested.   You will normally be admitted on the day of surgery.   Mr Gibb will visit you before the operation to mark the limb to be operated upon and to confirm your consent to proceed.  You will also see the Anaesthetist prior to the surgery which is normally performed under spinal anaesthetic supplemented by a regional nerve block and sedation.

You will return from the operating theatre with a padded dressing on the operated knee, with a drip in place through which antibiotics and some intravenous fluids will be administered, and wearing anti-embolism stockings and foot pumps to prevent deep vein thrombosis.   To further reduce the risk of thrombosis blood thinning drugs will also be administered during your inpatient stay and following your discharge for a total of 2 weeks.   A surgical drain is sometimes used and a urinary catheter is sometimes also required, both of which will be removed as soon as possible following the operation.

You will be expected to stand on the day of surgery and to begin walking the following day.   You are likely to remain in hospital for a a couple of nights before being discharged with arrangements made for a wound check (and removal of skin clips if used) between 10 and 12 days following the operation.    Your final outpatient review with Mr Gibb takes place at around 6 weeks.