Frequently Asked Questions

If you become ill with a cold, fever, or other unforeseen illness, it is best to call the Orthopaedic Surgery Center / Concord at 603- 228-7211 or Orthopaedic Surgery Center / Derry at 603-425-6966 and speak with a nurse. Depending on the kind of procedure you have scheduled, it may have to be rescheduled to a time when you are feeling well.

Only patients having a total hip or knee procedure will be scheduled with a PST appointment with a registered nurse. We request that you bring a list of current medications with dosages. Your pre-procedure assessment and preoperative instruction will be reviewed at this time. A MRSA swab will be done at this time and you will need to have bloodwork done at the Concord Hospital lab located in the Memorial building prior to your procedure. Typically, you will also meet with physical therapy at this time. 

You will want to be physically and mentally prepared for surgery. Here are some recommendations to consider.

Prepare your home for your post-surgical experience. If you will be on crutches, be sure you have a clear path to get around. If your bedroom is upstairs, you may want to consider relocating to the first floor for a day or two. You may want to relocate scatter rugs that may cause a tripping hazard when using crutches.

Have your rest area prepared ahead of time. You may want extra pillows, books or magazines and the TV remote to be close on hand.

Stock up on ice. We will provide you with a refillable ice pack. It is helpful to have ice available to refill this. Some patients also find it helpful to use a bag of frozen vegetables, such as peas, instead of an ice pack.

You may feel great the first and second day post-operatively. Do not take this as a sign that everything is okay and you can return to normal activity. It is common for patients to think everything is back to normal and they can resume normal activity. Avoid the temptation and don’t over-do!

It may be helpful to prepare meals ahead of time so they can be easily heated after surgery.

The length of time you will be out of work or school varies based on the surgical procedure. This is something you may want to discuss with your surgeon prior to surgery.

If you are having leg surgery, you may need crutches postoperatively. If you do not own crutches, they are available for purchase or rental at pharmacies or Hannaford grocery stores.

If you are having shoulder surgery, it is best to have oversized button-down shirts that will be easier to get in and out of.
For your safety, we strongly recommend that you have someone available to stay with you the first night after surgery.

Prior to the surgery, your surgeon will determine if the procedure can be performed with or without anesthesia. Based on this determination, on the day of surgery, the anesthesiologist will meet with you to discuss the different anesthesia choices available to you. The type of anesthesia recommended will be based on the type of procedure being performed, what part of the body is being operated on, the need for post-operative pain management, and your preferences or medical history.

There are five different types of anesthesia that can be administered at the Orthopaedic Surgery Center.

General Anesthesia: The patient loses consciousness and is unaware of their surroundings. This is accomplished by administering intravenous medications and/or inhalation of anesthetic gases.

Spinal Anesthesia: The anesthesiologist injects the anesthetic agents into the spinal area of the lower back. The lower extremities temporarily lose all sensation. The patient maintains awareness during the procedure. The anesthesiologist may also administer medications to relax you during the procedure.

Nerve Blocks: This is accomplished by injecting a local anesthetic into or around the nerves that supply the surgical area. They are used to treat pain during and after the surgical procedure and are performed prior to surgery. Nerve blocks can last up to 24 hours post operatively, thereby assisting in pain control after your procedure. Nerve blocks are often combined with general anesthesia.

Local Anesthesia: For patients having their procedure with local anesthesia, the surgeon will inject an anesthetic into the operative site. The anesthetic will last for a few hours following the procedure. No sedation is administered and the anesthesiologist is not involved.

Anyone having anesthesia MUST have someone available to drive them home after their procedure. Although patients having strict local anesthesia can drive themselves home, it is best if you have someone accompany you to drive you home.

If you are having a surgical procedure with anesthesia, do not eat or drink anything the morning of surgery. The only exception to this is if you have been instructed to take your daily morning medications. The nurse will review this with you during your pre-operative nursing assessment telephone call. Nothing to eat or drink means no coffee, tea, water, gum, chewing tobacco or mints. Not following your preoperative instructions can cause your surgery to be canceled. Other considerations are:

Brush your teeth as you normally would, but do not swallow any water.

Do not wear nail polish or makeup

Remove all jewelry. A plain wedding band can remain on provided you are not having hand or arm surgery on that extremity.

Please wear comfortable loose fitting clothing. If you are having shoulder surgery, you should bring an extra-large front-buttoning shirt to wear afterwards. Sweat pants or shorts work well for surgery on your leg or foot.

If you are having leg or foot surgery, please bring crutches with you and wear sensible shoes to facilitate crutch walking. We discourage flip-flops.

You will review your current medications with the nurse during your pre-surgery testing appointment or telephone call. The nurse will advise you as to what medications to take the morning of surgery. You may be instructed to bring your medications with you to the facility. If you normally carry an inhaler for your asthma, you must bring this with you.

Children require some extra tender loving care and attention. It is especially important that you monitor your child to ensure they do not eat or drink anything the morning of surgery. Also remember:

A parent or guardian must accompany anyone under 18 years of age. A parent will need to sign the appropriate consent forms. This cannot be delegated to a relative. We require the parent or guardian to stay at the center while the child is having surgery.

For young children having surgery first thing in the morning, it is best to bring them to the center still in their pajamas.

For school-age children, we recommend they bring a Game Boy, Nintendo or iPad or iTouch to help distract them before surgery. We encourage young children to bring their favorite stuffed animal or blanket for security. If your child will have a cast put on after surgery, we encourage the child to think of what color they would like that cast to be. They will be able to choose the color beforehand.

Keep in mind that you’ll want to prepare ahead for your surgical procedure. On that day of the procedure:

Bring crutches, if you are having leg or foot surgery. If you do not own crutches, they are available for rental at pharmacies or Hannaford grocery stores.

Anyone having anesthesia MUST have someone available to drive them home after their procedure. Although patients having strict local anesthesia can drive themselves home, it is best if you have someone accompany you to drive you home.

Bring a picture identification, such as a driver's license, your health insurance card and enough money to obtain your prescriptions after surgery.

Plan to leave your money with the person who has accompanied you to drive you home. This person can also be helpful to you in getting your prescription filled while you are having your procedure done. We find, and patients agree, going directly home after being discharged, without having to make a stop along the way, is more desirable.

When you speak with the nurse to review your medical history, you will be given an arrival time. You will receive a phone call the day before your procedure confirming your arrival time for the next day.

Please be sure we have a telephone number where we can reach you the day before surgery. It is also important we know how to reach you the day of surgery. Unforeseen circumstances may necessitate your arrival time being changed to an earlier or later time.

The Orthopaedic Surgery Center/Concord is located on the Concord Hospital campus on the lower ground level of the Memorial West Building. The main entrance of the Orthopaedic Surgery Center faces the Concord Orthopaedic building.

The Orthopaedic Surgery Center/Derry is located at 14 Tsienneto Road, Derry. The Orthopaedic Surgery Center is located immediately to your left as you enter the building.

Both centers have waiting room or atrium areas for your loved one’s comfort.

You can use any pharmacy to have prescriptions filled. It can be helpful to have the person who is accompanying you fill any prescriptions during your surgical procedure time so that upon being discharged you can go directly home.

In Derry, there are pharmacies located in close proximity to the Orthopaedic Surgery Center.

We will ask for a telephone number or cell phone number for the person who is accompanying you should we need to call them and let them know you are ready for discharge. As a reminder, if the patient having surgery is under the age of 18, we require the parent or guardian to stay at the center while the surgery is being performed.

The Orthopaedic Surgery Center does not supply crutches. If you will require crutches postoperatively, they are available for purchase or rental at pharmacies or Hannaford grocery stores. Crutches are available to rent or purchase at most pharmacies. Call ahead to make sure they have your size. 

Surgeons usually call or speak to family members after the procedure. If your family or loved one plans on leaving the facility during your surgical procedure, please make sure that we can contact them when your surgery is complete.

In Concord, there is a courtesy telephone located in our lobby.

WiFi is available at both locations.

If you experience an injury, a rash, poison ivy or have an open wound on the area or extremity where you are to have surgery, please call the center to discuss this with a nurse prior to the day of surgery. In some cases, the surgeon may want to see you prior to the day of surgery.