Orthopedics & Orthopedic Surgery
Before Your Surgery in Onalaska
As with all surgeries at Mayo Clinic Health System, you are the most important member of your healthcare team, and obtaining the best possible outcomes starts with you. You are encouraged to speak up and take an active role in your care. You and your family are welcome to ask questions and learn all that you can about your surgery and recovery.
To be a candidate for any hip, knee or shoulder replacement surgery, patients must first:
Sign up for the patient portal
Your patient portal account provides you with easy, 24/7 access to important healthcare information, such as test results, clinical notes and medication lists. It also is a way to send a secure message to your healthcare team, view and schedule upcoming appointments, pay bills, and so much more. Create an account today.
Educate yourself
In addition to our well-trained orthopedic surgeons and physician assistants, our nursing team members are excellent resources to help prepare you and your family for total joint replacement. Our team will provide you with a variety of Mayo Clinic educational materials and connect virtually with you, one on one, to ensure you are well-prepared on what to expect before, during and after surgery.
Receive printed materials
Directly following your surgical consult in the clinic, you will receive a full set of printed materials that will serve as your guide throughout the surgical experience. This easy-to-use packet includes information on how you can prepare for surgery, home exercises, and how to best manage your pain after surgery. Here are a few key brochures you can reference:
- Preparing For Your Surgery or Procedure
- Total Hip Replacement Surgery
- Total Knee Replacement Surgery
Watch education videos on surgery preparation
We understand that everyone learns differently. Here are a few short, yet helpful, videos to watch on preparing for surgery.
Plan to have someone help you at home after your surgery
Having the right help at home after total joint replacement surgery is an essential part of the recovery process. We call this person your coach. Your coach will need to be in your home — day and night — while you recover for the first one to two weeks. Oftentimes, this caregiver is a spouse, adult child, neighbor, friend or other family member. You will want to be comfortable with this person helping you with:
- Toileting/using the bathroom
- Sponge baths/showering
- Dressing/undressing
- Preparing your meals
- Helping you get in and out of bed
- Preparing your medications
We understand that you may not have this type of help available to you. Our Social Work team works directly with you and your family to ensure you have a plan and the right care after surgery.
Surgery day details
Same-day joint replacement surgeries are scheduled earlier in the day to give you as much time as possible to recover from the anesthesia and to navigate all of the postoperative tasks and milestones you will need to complete in order to go home the same day.
The most current anesthesia and surgical techniques are used to promote a comfortable surgery with rapid recovery. These techniques allow you to be alert and engaged immediately after your surgery and be able to drink, have a light snack and take medications in the early stages of recovery. The quicker you can regain your strength, the earlier you can achieve mobility and begin your physical therapy process earlier in the day. Early mobility and pain management remain a continued focus of your entire recovery period.
We will continue to care for you well after discharge. Some of our patients need Physical Therapy sessions after being discharged home to help improve mobility.