Hip replacement blog 2 The operation

My consultant surgeon is Mr Adam Hoad Reddick from Manchester. He is a expert in hip and knee surgery.

I brought the operation forward as my activities had imploded in just a few weeks I had gone from playing golf to being unable to walk. Even so I was scared stiff!!!

Sometimes too much knowledge is not a good thing.

At 8 am paperwork completed, operation gown on – Such undignified garments.

The leg is marked up with a marker pen under my jurisdiction so that it was correct – the right is to be done first as it was the worst.

Limping down a Hospital corridor with the anaesthetic nurse.

A final check with the surgeon. He says the Stryker Mako robotic arm is set to go under his guidance

The Anaesthetist joins us. I am to have a spinal anaesthetic with sedation.

Orthopaedic surgery is a noisy business and I really don’t want to be aware of it.

Firstly a cannula is introduced into the left-hand to administer drugs and drip through.

I’ve already had my blood crossmatched, but any loss of blood during the surgery will be filtered and run back into me.

Now for the spinal anaesthetic. A splash of exceedingly cold alcohol and then a sharp prick. An extremely warm sensation into my butt and down my legs as the blood vessels dilate and then a numbness.

My legs are lifted onto the couch something is administered into the cannula and I know no more.