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Hip & Knee Surgery Frequently Asked Questions.
Below is the list of Frequently-Asked Questions on Hip & Knee Surgery.
It has answers to most of the common questions. If you are seeking answers
to questions that you feel have not been answered feel free to contact
us through our Contact Form. Resources
and Documentation are also available for download in our Download
Area.
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Do I need a referral from my Doctor?
No a doctors referral is not necessary we carry out a full clinical examination x-rays are taken as well as blood and urine tests and a consultation with the orthopaedic consultant the day before surgery.
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If you can obtain them they may be useful but we undertake our own investigations and x-rays so it is not necessary to bring them. Any MRI's you may wish to bring should be less than 3 months old.
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Yes although this is covered in the pre-surgery questionnaire, which the doctor will have read it is always helpful to mention any major points again. To download the pre-surgery questionnaire, go to our download page.
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Yes that they are welcome to attend; the surgeon is quite open and has nothing to hide.
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Our partner Hospital in Belgium was established in
1948 it has 197 beds is equipped with the latest technology and carries
out surgical procedures with confidence offering the very best medical
care and attention.
The hospital staff comprises of 40 physicians and
over 420 employees. Each physician is a specialist trained in one of the
primary medical disciplines: anaesthesiology, general surgery, vascular
surgery, ear nose & throat, gynaecology & obstetrics, oral &
facial surgery, orthopaedics, urology, dermatology, internal medicine,
cardiology, gastroenterology, pulmonology, rheumatology, radiology. The
five operating theatres are equipped with the newest technology. The emergency
department and the 8-bed intensive care facility are staffed 24 hours
a day with on site resident cover.
Nursing staff are dedicated to providing a quality
service and effective patient care at all times giving their full commitment
and excellence in caring for their guests. In addition the hospital is
equipped with an extensive physical rehabilitation unit, a state-of-the-art
laboratory and radiology department are available on site. The hospital
places a strong emphasis on cleanliness and the quality of its food. All
meals are prepared on site and the menu changes daily.
There is a laundry service, a hairdresser and
even a massage available for friends and family staying there.
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Yes there is an in house modern bed & breakfast facility especially for friends & family members.
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Surgery is performed either on a Tuesday or Thursday. The day before surgery is set-aside for patients clinical and pre surgical examinations and tests.
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The teem of consultant surgeons have been operating at this hospital since 1992 and carry out 400 major procedures per year.
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Approx 300 hip, knee, spine, general surgery plus scans & investigations.
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Generally for hip surgery it is less likely that blood will be needed than for knee surgery.
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Transfusion is included in the price.
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European policy on filtration and testing of blood
is very strict. The hospital is equipped with its own accredited laboratories.
Blood samples can be screened day or night.
The ICU can locally provide blood-gas analysis
and ionogram under the supervision of the central laboratory, which is
responsible for quality.
Blood transfusion services are organised as specified in the European
guide to "qualification assurance of blood donation and preparation
use" (edition 8th January 2002 under code R 9515)
Practical Arrangements Describe:
Indications for:
Blood units are supplied by the Blood Transfusion
Centre, which is regulated by the Belgian Law dated 5th July 1994, pertaining
to blood and derivates of blood of human origin in addition the European
guide to "qualification assurance of blood donation and preparation
use" is strictly followed (edition of 8th January 2002 under code
R 9515).
Articles 8 & 4 of the Belgian law state that blood must be screened
for hepatitis B and C, HIV, syphilis and anti HBc antibodies.
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The hospital will administer a low weight heparin 'B' to prevent thrombosis. You may also receive some of these drugs to take home with you.
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Yes this is quite safe and as you are receiving low weight heparin 'B' to prevent thrombosis there should be less risk of thrombosis than usual.
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Where possible patients receive epidural anaesthesia,
the anaesthetist will discuss the type of anaesthesia used prior to surgery
if you have a preference please state this to the anaesthetists or surgeon.
If this method is appropriate for you, you will first be sedated through
the IV in the pre-op area. This relaxes you and minimizes the discomfort
of the initial epidural procedure. With epidural anaesthesia, a narrow
catheter is placed between two bones of your spine. A controlled flow
of anaesthetic goes through the narrow catheter, anaesthetising your body
from the abdomen down so you will not feel anything during surgery.
If you are undergoing general anaesthesia, you will first be put to sleep
by IV medication. A mask or a breathing tube then gives an anaesthetic
gas with is monitored by the anaesthetist.
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The hospital has a fully functioning 24 - hour accident
& emergency department, paramedics, and fully equipped intensive care
unit. Response time for a doctor to be at bedside day or night is under
2 minutes.How long will I stay in Intensive care?
Usually less than 1 day however if you have any history of heart problems
are overweight or have other risk factors we may keep you in intensive
care for a longer period, this is a perfectly normal procedure.
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Providing the length of stay in intensive care is just a couple of days there is no additional cost.
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We prefer to fit Zimmer orthopaedics prosthesis.
Zimmer is the largest and most experienced manufacturer of prosthesis,
its advanced technical capacity means that it produces some of the best
and most durable prosthesis on the market today. We try to always fit
not only the best product available but also one that has been tried and
tested for a number of years.
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These prosthesis are very durable and should last 20 to 25 years.
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In hip and knee replacement we always try to work
with cement-less unless the indications are for cemented i.e. the bone
structure is week etc.
The reason for not using cement is that the
tough alloy used in the construction of the prosthesis is both porous
and rough (on the outside) where it meets the bone, this enables the bone
to grow and fix itself to the prosthesis (like the barnacles on the hull
of a ship). After a short while the bone grows over the prosthesis and
the two become firmly fixed together. With cement there is always a possibility
of the cement breaking down or working loose.
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Zimmer: www.zimmer.co.uk
The orthopaedics prosthesis brochures can be downloaded from our Download
Page.
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Yes in addition to the morning physiotherapy sessions in the afternoon you may be placed on a CPM machine.
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Phone calls, accommodation for friends or family.
It would be nice to speak to some one who has
experienced using your services, could you please provide a reference
that I could reach by telephone?
Yes we have many please contact us at the office and we will provide some
details.
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Yes we can arrange for you to be taken by wheelchair
through the airport if you choose to fly and wheelchair assistance on
€tar if needed. We would recommend wheelchair assistance if you have
any mobility problems. Please ensure that we are informed at the office
so that we can best assist you.
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Durations of stay are as follows:
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Yes, there is an additional 7 days stay available. We recommend the addition period of stay for women over 75 and men over 80 or if there are any mobility problems. The extra week includes full physiotherapy and enables the patient to recover more fully before returning home.
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Just call us (+44 (0) 207 553 3421) and let us know
that you wish to proceed, together with you we set a target date then
you confirm your travel arrangements with us. We then dispatch a confirmation
letter, and a manual explaining the surgery. The manual can also be downloaded
from our Download Page.
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Related Links
Why have Surgery in Belgium?
We can help with your Travel Arrangements
To Book please Contact Us by Phone, E-mail or
Fax
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Cardiac Surgery
Hip
& Knee Surgery - FAQs
