This discussion is now closed.

Check out other Related discussions

About Hip Replacements...

I'm not sure why I'm posting this as anonymous, I just feel more comfortable with it this way I suppose.

Basically, my grandad is 78 and on Thursday he'll be having a hip replacement. He's had one before, about fifteen years ago or maybe more and that was fine. Since then though (about ten years ago) he had a couple of heart attacks and a triple by-pass or something like that. Apparently his heart is weaker now because of that and doctors are always weary about giving him anaesthetics. However, a few months ago he had to have a minor surgical thingy and they put him out for that, and he was fine.

I suppose the point of this is to ask how risky things like this are, and whether I'm justified in being so worried? As you can tell I don't know a lot about the medical procedures and things (!) so I was wondering maybe a medic or someone could shed some light on how risky this all is? It's probably impossible to say but I thought I'd ask anyway...

I keep telling myself that the doctors wouldn't do it if they thought it was too risky, but I don't really know what to think! I just want him to be okay :frown:

Reply 1

Random.Girl

14

As with all medical things, it's varies from patient to patient. My grandad had a hip replacement at Easter and he made a really fast recovery and he's doing fine now :smile:

he's quite as old as your grandad but he did have a previous heart attack and had a quadruple bypass.

I hope everything goes as well for your grandad.

Reply 2

tinkerbellejess

13

can you have a quadruple bypass??

Reply 3

Anonymous #1

OP

-Emmz-

As with all medical things, it's varies from patient to patient. My grandad had a hip replacement at Easter and he made a really fast recovery and he's doing fine now :smile:

he's quite as old as your grandad but he did have a previous heart attack and had a quadruple bypass.

I hope everything goes as well for your grandad.

Thanks for that, it was really quite comforting :smile:

Reply 4

Random.Girl

14

tinkerbellejess

can you have a quadruple bypass??

No I made it up ...
My nan's had one too, and neither of them are medical marvels so I'm guessing it's not all that out of the ordinary.

Reply 5

mousey

2

If they are worried about your grandad's heart they won't put him under general anaesthetic, they'll give him an epidural and sedate him most likely. This puts less strain on the heart and your grandad will be awake for the operation, although mostly unaware of it. My grandma (86) has just had this done for similiar reasons and came out fine. She's been up and walking today! I also work as an auxilliary nurse, sometimes with hip patients and i'm pretty sure that's what they'll do if it's risky. If they give him a general anaesthetic they'll be knowledgeable of the risks and confident that they're not great, so although it's scary i wouldn't worry. He really is in the best hands.

I hope your Grandad copes well with his operation and enjoys walking properly again. xx

Reply 6

sufiankane

2

ARE YOU NUTS?????? LOCAL ANAESTHETIC FOR A HIP OPERATION!!! THAT SI NOT POSSIBLE. Honestly he shud be fine. yes i will say he is more at risk than other people and by how much i do not know but he shoudl be fine. anyway what happens b4 an operation is that the anaesthetist visits ur grandad and asseses him and if he i sok for anaestheti cin he goes. if the anaesthtist ir summin syas no then no operation. trust me trust the anaesthetist they know best.

Reply 7

Laura Lou

13

sufiankane

ARE YOU NUTS?????? LOCAL ANAESTHETIC FOR A HIP OPERATION!!! THAT SI NOT POSSIBLE. Honestly he shud be fine. yes i will say he is more at risk than other people and by how much i do not know but he shoudl be fine. anyway what happens b4 an operation is that the anaesthetist visits ur grandad and asseses him and if he i sok for anaestheti cin he goes. if the anaesthtist ir summin syas no then no operation. trust me trust the anaesthetist they know best.

errr.. I think you'll find that it is possible.

Reply 8

Helenia

20

sufiankane

ARE YOU NUTS?????? LOCAL ANAESTHETIC FOR A HIP OPERATION!!! THAT SI NOT POSSIBLE. Honestly he shud be fine. yes i will say he is more at risk than other people and by how much i do not know but he shoudl be fine. anyway what happens b4 an operation is that the anaesthetist visits ur grandad and asseses him and if he i sok for anaestheti cin he goes. if the anaesthtist ir summin syas no then no operation. trust me trust the anaesthetist they know best.

Local anaesthetic, no. Spinal block, yes. My Grandma had both knee replacements done while awake but with an epidural. They gave her headphones to cut out the noise of the sawing.

To the OP; I'm not aware of statistical risks for anaesthetics or anything, but rest assured that the anaesthetist will assess the situation and treat him as he thinks best. The operation itself shouldn't be a problem AFAIK. As with any medical procedure, especially at that age, it's not risk free, and things could go wrong, but everything will have been done to prevent that.

Reply 9

Anonymous #1

OP

Thanks everyone, it's been very reassuring! I suppose unknown quantities like this just make me uneasy. I was very little when he had his first one so I don't remember it, and both he and my gran seem very nervous which is unusual so I just freaked.

Helenia - sawing? God, it sounds like torture! I feel awful for Grandad, I hope I never have to have one :frown:

Reply 10

Helenia

20

Anonymous

Thanks everyone, it's been very reassuring! I suppose unknown quantities like this just make me uneasy. I was very little when he had his first one so I don't remember it, and both he and my gran seem very nervous which is unusual so I just freaked.

Helenia - sawing? God, it sounds like torture! I feel awful for Grandad, I hope I never have to have one :frown:

Yes, they use specialised saws to get through the bone. You can't feel any of it though, but apparently the sound is a bit unnerving if you know it's your legs they're doing it to!

With any luck, it'll work out ok whatever anaesthetic he ends up having, and you can spoil him in hospital afterwards. :smile:

Reply 11

Anonymous #1

OP

Helenia

Yes, they use specialised saws to get through the bone. You can't feel any of it though, but apparently the sound is a bit unnerving if you know it's your legs they're doing it to!

With any luck, it'll work out ok whatever anaesthetic he ends up having, and you can spoil him in hospital afterwards. :smile:

The thought of someone using any kind of saw to get through any bone of mine is kind of... ugh :afraid:

I even panic about injections though!

Thanks for all your help, I really am feeling better about the whole thing. Hopefully on Thursday I'll be able to post that he's doing fine and all is well :smile:

Reply 12

Glory

1

my grandad is having one today or tomorrow. He broke his hip last night, hes 85 and his general health isnt great. Lets keep our fingers crossed

Reply 13

amie

14

Glory

my grandad is having one today or tomorrow. He broke his hip last night, hes 85 and his general health isnt great. Lets keep our fingers crossed

I hope it all went well for him, or will do if it's not happened yet :smile:

I just got a phonecall from my Gran, she says that Grandad's now in the recovery room and it's all gone well. I'm so relieved! Thanks for all your advice, it really helped :smile:

Edit: and there goes the anonymity, but what the hell! I'm happy :biggrin:

Reply 14

Glory

1

Yeh hes fine apparently. Was very groggy yesterday, but the nurse informs us he is alert and chirpy today. Im going to visit him after tea tonight.

Reply 15

tinkerbellejess

13

-Emmz-

No I made it up ...
My nan's had one too, and neither of them are medical marvels so I'm guessing it's not all that out of the ordinary.

Sorry...

I thought because there's only 3 arteries coming out of the heart you could only have a triple bypass, but I googled it and found out you could get a branch(?) done as well, making it quadruple, I learn something new everyday!

Reply 16

Random.Girl

14

tinkerbellejess

Sorry...

I thought because there's only 3 arteries coming out of the heart you could only have a triple bypass, but I googled it and found out you could get a branch(?) done as well, making it quadruple, I learn something new everyday!

Aw don't apologise, I was just joking around :biggrin:

... I would have thought that too if my grandparents hadn't had them!

About Hip Replacements...

Related discussions

Articles for you

How The Student Room is moderated