I apologise for this being a little late, my internet connection has shut down and I couldn't make it into uni till today to submit this!
Recently I had the opportunity to witness a total hip replacement, an experience not many of us have the opportunity to do whilst still students. The patient had significant OA of the hip and as such was scheduled for surgery. My supervisor advised me that this patient would be under my care once on the ward.
Watching surgery is fascinating! The surgeon made an effort to describe to me the process of what was occuring and gave me a run down of the anatomy (it looks so different to cadavers!). What shocked me was the brutality and force that was required to dislocate the hip and drive the metal into the femur. For lack of being able to describe this better, the surgery is quite grotesque and can sort of be related to carpentry. In saying this, all measurements are extremely precise with the biomechanics of the hip, femur and knee relationships being calulated so that the appropriate instruments and hardware can be selected. This is the first time I have noticed movement science and the physics we have learnt previously being implemented in such a real situation.
Once on the ward, the patient was treated by PT, OT and nursing staff and subsequently was discharged within 10 days with no complications. The human body is incredible and considering the extent of the trauma endured during surgery, the body's ability to regenerate is quite remarkable.
As PT's we are expected that we encourage patients and guide them out of bed and standing day one post surgery. In future I will have a little more empathy for the pain and discomfort they are experiencing! After witnessing how the surgery occurs, Iam not surprised that many of us have been called slave drivers, torturers etc etc. Although it is crucial that we emphasize early movement, I will endevour from here on to be a little more understanding when treating patients who have just received surgery!
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There's nothing quite like seeing a surgery to bring home what has actually happened to the body, especially in orthopaedics! I was lucky enough to see a dynamic hip screw put in, and to see how much soft tissue as well as the bone itself is damaged in the surgery, despite the great skill of the surgeons really helps your awareness of what is going on in the acute healing process and the pain involved.
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