Good Samaritan Hospital prides itself on offering the highest level of quality orthopedic care in Greater Cincinnati. Patients trust our team to conduct a successful surgery and follow through with the proper rehabilitation program that leads to a quick recovery, so you can get back to the life you want to lead. At The Good Samaritan Hospital Orthopedic Center of Excellence, our goal is to provide expert, compassionate care across a wide variety of orthopedic procedures.
What to Expect
Physicians and Operating Room Staff
The finest orthopedic doctors in the Cincinnati area work at Good Samaritan because we have the facilities, technologies and experienced staff their patients need. Surgeons are assisted by operating room teams – including specialized nurses, surgical assistants and certified surgical technicians – that are dedicated to orthopedic surgery. They have unsurpassed expertise and knowledge of the latest techniques, and have access to the latest equipment and technology for joint replacement surgeries such as minimally invasive (small incision) and computer-guided equipment.
In addition, the Good Samaritan Orthopedic Center of Excellence is staffed by a panel of expert physicians who are dedicated to providing the highest quality care to total hip and knee replacement patients. These physicians come from orthopedic surgery groups from around the area and work collaboratively to research and implement best practices—and they are teaching other orthopedic physicians from Cincinnati and around the world how they can achieve similar results.
Good Samaritan has inpatient nursing units that are exclusively dedicated to the recovery of orthopedic surgery patients. Our nurses and other caregivers understand orthopedic surgery and recovery. They are completely dedicated to working with post-surgical orthopedic patients. They provide compassionate, hands-on care and explain physicians’ orders for tests, exercises and diet during recovery. Their expertise and caring touch puts patients, and their families, at ease.
These units have a variety of features that help patients recover as quickly and comfortably as possible. Every room is private and comfortably furnished. Each has a sofa that transforms into a bed for family members who wish to stay overnight. In addition, every room has a private bathroom equipped with raised toilets and other features that assist patients with recovery.
Proactive Infection Control
Infection prevention is a high priority before, during and after your total joint surgery.
Before surgery
Screening for MRSA: MRSA stands for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. It is a type of “staph” bacteria. If MRSA enters the body and causes an infection, the infection can be difficult to treat because it doesn’t respond well to antibiotics. The presence of MRSA increases the likelihood of having a MRSA surgical wound infection. This screening is completed during your visit for pre-operative testing and includes a painless nasal swab culture. It is not abnormal to find MRSA bacteria present in the nose with no sign of infection in the body. If your culture is positive, you will be notified of the result and prescribed an antibiotic ointment. This ointment is to be applied to the nose twice a day starting five days before surgery, with the last dose applied the morning of surgery. It is important that you follow instructions closely and complete the entire treatment protocol.
Pre-operative skin cleanse: If your nasal swab is positive for MRSA, you will be instructed to begin showering each evening with chlorhexidine 4% liquid cleanser starting five days before surgery. On the evening prior to surgery, instead of using the cleansing liquid, you will cleanse your body using 2% chlorhexidine gluconate wipes after your shower. If your nasal swab is negative, you will cleanse the night before surgery with the wipes only. All wipes must be used exactly as instructed. Medical research has shown this cleanse to be highly effective at reducing bacteria on your skin. The surgical area will be cleansed again after you arrive at the hospital.
Screening for anemia: Anemia is a medical condition where the patient has a low red blood cell count. Pre-operative anemia increases the likelihood of needing a blood transfusion after surgery and can hinder rehabilitation after surgery. Blood transfusions can increase your risk for infection and are associated with other risk factors. In order to avoid a blood transfusion, blood will be drawn during preoperative testing to check for anemia. If you are found to be anemic before surgery, you will be notified of the result and scheduled to see a physician specializing in blood disorders for a complete evaluation and possible treatment. In the majority of cases, this will not delay your scheduled joint replacement surgery.
During surgery
Antibiotics: You will be given antibiotics in your IV before and after your surgical procedure. The antibiotic is given to further reduce the chance of bacteria contaminating the surgical site. If cement is indicated for your procedure and you have a medical condition that places you at high risk for infection, your surgeon may use antibiotic cement to further maximize your protection against infection.
Wound closure and bandages: Your surgeon will select the type of skin closure known to minimize your risk of surgical site infection. Your incision may remain covered under a special bandage for more than a week. Although not silver in color, this bandage contains silver antimicrobial protection to inhibit bacteria from entering the incision.
After surgery
Hand washing: Hand washing remains the most effective defense against germs and spread of infection and should be continued at home. We encourage you to make sure that all doctors, nurses and other healthcare providers clean their hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub before and after caring for you.
Wound care: The bandage over your incision should be kept clean and dry and not removed until indicated by your surgeon. After leaving the hospital, follow your surgeon’s recommendations when to shower and how to care for your surgical bandage and incision.
Multimodal Pain Management
Post-operative pain can be managed by using a combination of several pain control methods throughout the total joint experience. Nerve blocks and spinal anesthesia are examples of two proven ways to reduce surgical pain and provide reliable patient comfort while in the hospital.
Patient Education
Good Samaritan’s Total Joint Replacement Education Program is a multidisciplinary approach designed to let patients and their families know what to expect before, during and after joint replacement surgeries.
The class, offered exclusively to patients who will receive total joint replacements, includes information about:
What to do to prepare for surgery
What will happen in the operating room
Medications that may be prescribed to you
Rehabilitation and therapy programs that will help you recover
What will be involved in planning for your discharge from the hospital
What to expect when you return home
Answers to many frequently asked questions
For more information or to schedule a class, call (513) 862-2779.