Are you scheduled for a hip arthroscopic surgery? Houston hip arthroscopy specialist, Dr. Mufaddal Gombera, has compiled a comprehensive list below to help ease your mind about the process.
Post-Operative Dressing
Your dressing should remain intact and dry. Your outer dressing may be removed 3 days
after surgery. Please do not remove steri-strips that are covering the incision (small pieces
of tape). Removing this tape may cause your incision to separate. Do not place any
ointments over incisions.
Bathing after Hip Arthroscopy
Please do not get incisions wet. Please cover dressing or incisions while bathing.
Driving after Hip Arthroscopic Surgery
Please do not drive until you are evaluated in the office after surgery. You are considered
an impaired driver following surgery, and if you choose to drive, your insurance may not
cover any accidents that may occur.
Crutches & Elevation of Leg after Hip Surgery
You will be partial weight bearing (20#) with crutches after surgery. Please be very careful
until your anesthesia has completely worn off. There is a high risk that you could fall,
please have assistance with you whenever you are up and about. When sitting or lying
down, please keep your operative leg elevated.
Cold Therapy Ice Helps Decrease Swelling of the Hip
Continuous icing will help to decrease swelling and provide pain relief. Icing with a cold
pack for 20 minutes, at least three times a day is recommended. It is very important to
always have protection between the ice pad and your skin. Remove the ice pad twice daily
from your dressing to wipe off any condensation.
Hip Brace
You will be fitted with a hip brace the day of surgery. You will wear the brace when
walking for the first 4 weeks after surgery.
Physical Therapy after Hip Arthroscopy
You should start formal physical therapy for the week of your surgery.
Prior to that, please begin with your rehab at home with the following exercises:
- Ankle pumps-pump your ankle back and forth as if you were stepping on a gas pedal. Please do this exercise 10 times an hour while awake.
- Deep breathe and cough to help prevent respiratory infection. Take 10 deep breaths every hour followed by a cough.
Post-Hip-Arthroscopy Medication Given:
- Aspirin enteric coated tablet daily: Take 1 Aspirin daily for 2 weeks to help reduce the risk of a blood clot
- Naprosyn 1 tablet every 12 hours with food (Anti-Inflammatory)
- NORCO 1 – 2 tablets every 4-6 hours as needed for pain
- Do not exceed more than 4000mg of Acetaminophen per 24 hours
- Robaxin 1 tablet every 12 hours as needed for pain: For the first week after surgery. Helps with pain control and muscle spasm.
Side effects of medication
Anti-inflammatory (Naprosyn)
You should take all medication with food to help prevent nausea. Please notify the office if nausea,
vomiting, rash, headaches, abdominal cramping, blood in your stool or other symptoms occur. Do
not combine other anti-inflammatories products (Ibuprofen, Advil, Aleve, etc.) while taking your
Naprosyn. It is ok to take the Aspirin that has been recommended.
Pain Medication (Norco)
Common side effects of the pain medication are nausea, drowsiness, rash, or constipation. To
decrease the side effects, take medication with food. If constipation occurs, consider taking an overthe-
counter laxative. Please notify the office if nausea, vomiting, headaches, rash occur. If you are
having trouble with nausea or vomiting, please call the office to have your medication changed. Do
not take TYLENOL or other acetaminophen products while taking Norco or Tylenol #3, as both
of these medications contain acetaminophen.
Signs and Symptoms of Complications
Although complications are rare, you should be aware of these symptoms:
- Infection – increased pain not relieved with medication, fever, chills, redness, swelling or drainage from incision.
- Blood Clot – swelling, tenderness, or pain to calf when you move your ankle up and down, shortness of breath and chest pain.
If any of the above symptoms occur, please contact our office immediately.
For further questions, or if any problems arise, please call our office at (713) 794-3457.
During after hours and weekends, you can reach the on-call physician at (713) 799-2300.