Step by step: your day of surgery
Knowing what a day of surgery looks like can make it feel less daunting. These photographs, taken during a real hip replacement with Dr. Khoshbin and the team at St. Michael's Hospital, walk through the key steps of the day, from the anaesthetic to the recovery area.
The photographs below were taken during an actual hip replacement. The patient's face has been blurred or cropped out for privacy. Some images show the operation itself, so you may prefer to skip ahead if you would rather not see them.
The spinal anaesthetic
Most hip replacements here are done under a spinal anaesthetic, usually with light sedation. The anaesthetist numbs the lower half of your body so you feel no pain, while you rest.
On the Hana table
For the direct anterior approach, you are positioned on a specialised table called the Hana table. It supports and gently moves your legs so the surgeon can reach the hip from the front, without cutting the muscles at the back.
Replacing the joint
Working through one incision at the front of the hip, the surgeon removes the worn joint and shapes the bone for the new one. The team watches over you the whole time.
Inside the operating room
Dr. Khoshbin performs the operation, and a hip replacement is never a one-person job. An anaesthetist, surgical assistants, a scrub nurse, a circulating nurse, and an X-ray technologist all work around the table, retracting, passing instruments, moving the leg, and checking each step. These short, silent clips from a real operation show that team at work.
Choosing and sizing the new hip
A new hip has a few parts: a cup for the socket, a stem for the thigh bone, and a smooth ball that sits between them. The surgeon tries different sizes to find the fit that matches your body and moves well.
Closing up and recovery
Once the new hip is in place and moving smoothly, the surgeon closes the incision in layers. You are then taken to the recovery area, where the day-of-surgery team looks after you.
These photographs show one patient's surgery and are for general information. Your own experience, and the details of your operation, will depend on your health and your surgical plan. Your surgical team's advice comes first.