Planning For Your Surgery

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What does the process of getting to surgery involve?

Professor Munjed Al Muderis and his team take significant consideration and a great deal of planning before proceeding to surgery. Although the process might appear straightforward and fast, there is a considerable amount of work behind the scenes in collaboration with the anaesthetist and the hospital staff in order to give you the best outcome in minimal time.

What do I need to do to prepare for surgery?

Your skin needs to be prepared. Please purchase antibacterial wash from your local pharmacy, common brands are Phisohex, Chlorhexidine, Triclosan. Please use this 2-3 days prior to your surgery and continue to use it after your surgery until it is finished. (discontinue use if you have a reaction to the wash).

Skin Preparation

Your skin needs to be prepared, so the night before your surgery and the day of, please wash your body with the sponge provided in the pre-admission clinic. Occasionally a skin test is required if there is suspicion of an allergy to antiseptic solutions.

Bowel Preparation

Please check with the hospital you’re having your surgery regarding the necessary bowel preparation.

Medications

Below is a general guide regarding medications and their effects on your surgery. We strongly advise you to take your GP’s and surgeon’s advice.

30 days before surgery

Any herbal or complementary supplements recommended for the heart or joints generally cause blood thinning and bleeding. This includes krill oil, fish oil, green lip mussel extract and glucosamine. Please stop taking these a month before your surgery.

10 days before surgery

Please cease aspirin or anti-inflammatory medications (e.g., Nurofen, Voltaren, Celebrex, ibuprofen) and any naturopathic or herbal medications.

2 days before surgery

If you’re taking any SGLT2i agents such as dapagliflozin (Forxiga), empagliflozin (Jardiance), or anything with metformin (Xigduo, Jardiamet), please cease taking these two days before surgery. Please do not take it on the day of surgery.

Panadol, Panadol Osteo and Panadeine are consented to be continued.

Blood Thinners

If you are on any blood thinners (like Warfarin, Clopidogrel, or Aspirin) please inform your doctor as it is very important to deal with these medications before your surgery and cease them 10 days before the procedure.

Medications – recommendation

We recommend that patients take vitamin D, magnesium, calcium and vitamin C supplements at least a month before their surgery to support preparation and recovery.

Physiotherapy assessment

You may be given pre, and post-operative exercises and instructions on gait training and you may be fitted and supplied with crutches to practice pre-operatively.

X-rays and scans

Please ensure you bring all your x-rays and scans to the hospital. This is essential. We suggest finding them ahead of time and ensuring they go in your hospital bag.

Dental work

If you plan on having any dental work such as tooth extraction or fillings, please schedule them well in advance of your surgery. It is also important not to schedule any dental work, including routine cleanings, for several weeks following your surgery since these can seriously compromise the outcome of your orthopaedic surgery.

Substance use

Smoking

If you smoke, cut down or quit. Smoking compromises blood flow to your organs, which leads to less oxygen and vital nutrients getting to the surgical site. This results in a delay in the healing process and slows down and can compromise recovery.

Alcohol

If you drink alcohol it is important not to consume any alcohol for at least 48 hours prior to surgery.

Other substances

If you use any other types of controlled substances, seek proper advice from your local general practitioner and inform the surgical team. Narcotics and other drugs can have a negative impact on your surgery.

Exercising

Ask the doctor for any pre-surgical exercises. If you are having hip or knee replacement surgery, doing exercises to strengthen your upper body prior to the procedure will help you cope with crutches or a walker which you will need to use after surgery. Also, ask about the exercises that will be prescribed after surgery. If you familiarise yourself with these post-operative exercises and practice them prior, they will be easier to perform following the surgery.

Restricted Activities

Leading up to the scheduled surgery, avoid doing any gardening or spending time in the garage or shed to prevent cuts or scratches by sharp objects. Any wound on or around the site of the planned surgery will prevent us from being able to proceed with your joint replacement as this significantly increases the risk of infection.

Pre-surgery testing

You may be required to take several types of tests, including blood tests, an echocardiogram (ECG), a urine sample and/or a chest X-ray. Appropriate tests will be arranged by the Pre-Admission Clinic at your respective hospital or by our nurses in the rooms or peri operative physicians if your surgery is taking place at a hospital that does not have a pre admission clinic.

Feeling unwell in the lead-up

Please notify us immediately if you come down with a fever, a cold or any other illness in the week before the surgery.

Contact Us

For further inquiries or to arrange a consultation, please contact Professor Al Muderis’ office at +61 2 88829011 or book an appointment online.