Part Two in the series Jill’s knee replacement journey
Table of Contents
- What happens at pre-op assessment
- Getting a CT scan for robotic surgery
- Preparing yourself physically for surgery
- Making your home ready for recovery
Once you received your surgery date, what happened next?
The next thing you have to do is come back to the hospital for a Pre-Operative Assessment, about 1-2 weeks beforehand. A “Pre-Op” is basically an all-round health check to make sure you’re ready for surgery. The idea is to review your medical history, any medicines you’re taking, any allergies, any conditions you have that might complicate surgery, and so on, so it needs to be quite close to your operation date. They checked my blood pressure and gave me an ECG (electrocardiogram) to review my heart health. And I had a blood test to check my blood type, haemoglobin level and kidney function.
Think about the practicalities of your home and your recuperation
What else does the Pre-Op Assessment involve?
The nursing team will ask you lots of questions about your health and lifestyle – like how much exercise you do, how well you eat, etc. They want to know how well you will be able to look after yourself and manage daily activities after surgery. They want to know if you’re feeling anxious about the operation. They took my height and weight, too, so the anaesthetist could plan the anaesthesia I’d need during surgery.
Did you find out more about the robotic surgery at that point?
Yes. So Mr Bailey does both types of knee replacements – standard (surgeon-only) and using the robot-assisted machine. My insurance covered me for the robotic operation. I then went to the Radiotherapy department to have aCT scan. Basically, it involves taking measurements of your knee and leg so that the correct replacement can be made for your knee. It only takes 15 minutes or so. [For more on how the scanning process works, see: Why choose robotic surgery for your knee replacement?]
You want to be as healthy as possible for the operation
How did you prepare yourself for the operation itself?
One thing that’s important is to look after yourself physically in the run-up, because you’re going to be quite sedentary afterwards. So you want to be as healthy as possible for the op. For me, that meant doing plenty of Pilates, and I kept an eye on my weight. On the day of surgery [add link to next article], of course, I had to avoid food. My operation was in the afternoon but I had to fast from 7am. But up to that point, I was just aiming to look after myself well and eat as healthily as I could.
What else can people do to prepare themselves for surgery?
Think about the practicalities of your home, and whether it’s set up for your recuperation. For instance, early on it can be difficult to reach down low, so it’s worth thinking about cupboards and where everyday items are. Our bedroom is downstairs already, but you might want to consider moving your bed temporarily to avoid having to use the stairs in the early days. I also got a slip-mat to make sure I’d be safe in the shower. It’s particularly important to think ahead if you live on your own – like who’s going to do your shopping or get fresh milk, whether you have meals in the freezer, how you would answer the door, and so on. Once I’d given thought to all that, I felt like I was ready for surgery…
Read on
You can read the next part of Jill’s story here: Part 3: Having the Operation
Useful resources
How should I prepare for a knee replacement?
Knee surgery checklist: 12 things to do before your operation
