|
|
Post by birdy on Feb 25, 2023 17:45:20 GMT
My dad had a hip replacement on Feb. 7 and then went from the hospital to rehab. He came home on Wed. Feb. 22. The last few days he was in rehab, several patients tested positive for covid. We went over to see him at home on Thursday. He tested and was negative before we went over. Last night (Friday into Saturday)in the middle of the night, he felt like he was coming down with a cold. This morning he tested and it was positive. My mom is worried and asked me a question I don't know the answer to. Thought I'd throw it out here and see if anyone knows (I tried googling, but all that was coming up was medical research, which didn't make much sense to me). Her question was, should they contact the surgeon to let him know / and should they be concerned about the covid infection affecting the hip replacement. When he had his knee replaced, the doctor that did it told him that if he got any infection, he should be notified due to the fact that infection could go to the weakest point in the body (the fresh replacement). So my mom is worried about that with his hip.
I also have a covid question... he had tested negative about 8 hours before we saw him and started to feel poorly over 24 hours after we saw him. My DH and two kids (teen and 20ish) went too. What are the chances he was contagious and we will come down with it??? I'm mostly worried about 20ish DS because he is supposed to go on vacation with friends in a week.
Thanks for any advice or thoughts!
|
|
sueg
Prolific Pea
Posts: 8,183
Location: Munich
Apr 12, 2016 12:51:01 GMT
|
Post by sueg on Feb 25, 2023 18:07:04 GMT
I would contact the surgeon, just for peace of mind. If there might be a problem, you’ll know, also if he doesn’t think there’s an issue.
It is possible he was contagious when you visited, but I wouldn’t be too stressed about it as there is nothing you can do about that now. Just keep an eye on symptoms and test for the next few days.
|
|
|
|
Post by Penellopy on Feb 25, 2023 18:16:13 GMT
I would let the surgeon know about Covid. He would be the best to make the call about what to watch out for.
When I had Covid in August, I had only been to the dentist on Thursday and then went to church and lunch on Sunday. I got up Monday morning feeling like I was coming down with a cold and had a headache. I tested that afternoon and it was positive. I let my sister and her family know since we were together in church and during lunch. She said all they could do was keep an eye out in case one of them started with the same symptoms and test. I never could figure out how long before I tested positive I might have been contagious.
|
|
|
|
Post by waffles on Feb 25, 2023 18:38:59 GMT
Hope your dad feels better!
|
|
kate
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,561 
Location: The city that doesn't sleep
Member is Online
Site Supporter
Jun 26, 2014 3:30:05 GMT
|
Post by kate on Feb 25, 2023 18:48:35 GMT
Wishing your dad all the best in his recovery.
|
|
|
|
Post by nightnurse on Feb 25, 2023 18:51:13 GMT
Joint infections tend to be bacterial and not viral. No harm in calling the surgeon for peace of mind, but there are no interventions he can take. Better to call the pcp and consider treatment with something like paxlovid if he’s a candidate (not for the joint replacement but for general covid management)If his negative test before you went over was an at home rapid test, it is possible he was positive but it didn’t pick that up and it is possible he was contagious. It’s also just as possible he wasn’t yet contagious, no way to be sure. Monitor for symptoms for the next ten days or so. In my patient population, we are seeing the most recent strains of covid to be more easily spread, but the general illness is more mild. I have a relatively small sample size though
|
|
|
|
Post by Basket1lady on Feb 25, 2023 18:57:28 GMT
Your poor dad! I hope that he has an easy case. Definitely call the surgeon since they asked you to if he got sick. Maybe@cindyupnorth can give some advice. I know she deals with a lot of knee replacement patients.
If he tested negative on Thursday when you saw him and you are all fully vaccinated, it’s unlikely that he was shedding enough of the virus to infect you. (Note: unlikely, not impossible.) I and my family have been exposed multiple times in the exact circumstances and haven’t gotten it. Fingers crossed that you all remain healthy.
|
|
|
|
Post by lisae on Feb 25, 2023 19:14:00 GMT
You can contact the surgeon. I would not expect this to be the type of infection he was concerned about. Millions of people have had Covid and millions have artificial joints. I think if there was a risk we would have heard of an uptick in revisions - removing an infected artificial joint, treating with antibiotics and replacing it.
He needs to be particularly cautious with dental work, even routine work. Bacteria from the mouth can get into the blood stream and cause an infection. I had an aunt who fell and injured one leg on an old wooden bridge on her property. The infection spread do the artificial knee of the other leg. I try to always treat any wounds DH gets by cleaning them well and treating with antibiotic spray because he has several artifical joints. He takes antibiotics before dental visits, even cleanings.
|
|
|
|
Post by Zee on Feb 25, 2023 19:39:52 GMT
You can contact the surgeon. I would not expect this to be the type of infection he was concerned about. Millions of people have had Covid and millions have artificial joints. I think if there was a risk we would have heard of an uptick in revisions - removing an infected artificial joint, treating with antibiotics and replacing it. He needs to be particularly cautious with dental work, even routine work. Bacteria from the mouth can get into the blood stream and cause an infection. I had an aunt who fell and injured one leg on an old wooden bridge on her property. The infection spread do the artificial knee of the other leg. I try to always treat any wounds DH gets by cleaning them well and treating with antibiotic spray because he has several artifical joints. He takes antibiotics before dental visits, even cleanings. Interesting, I have never heard of prophylactic antibiotics for dental cleanings for typical joint replacements like knees and hips, only for those with artificial heart valves. |
|
maryannscraps
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,744
Aug 28, 2017 12:51:28 GMT
|
Post by maryannscraps on Feb 25, 2023 19:56:47 GMT
You can contact the surgeon. I would not expect this to be the type of infection he was concerned about. Millions of people have had Covid and millions have artificial joints. I think if there was a risk we would have heard of an uptick in revisions - removing an infected artificial joint, treating with antibiotics and replacing it. He needs to be particularly cautious with dental work, even routine work. Bacteria from the mouth can get into the blood stream and cause an infection. I had an aunt who fell and injured one leg on an old wooden bridge on her property. The infection spread do the artificial knee of the other leg. I try to always treat any wounds DH gets by cleaning them well and treating with antibiotic spray because he has several artifical joints. He takes antibiotics before dental visits, even cleanings. Interesting, I have never heard of prophylactic antibiotics for dental cleanings for typical joint replacements like knees and hips, only for those with artificial heart valves. My mom was on prophylactic antibiotics for dental work after her knee replacements. |
|
|
|
Post by Zee on Feb 25, 2023 20:01:21 GMT
Interesting, I have never heard of prophylactic antibiotics for dental cleanings for typical joint replacements like knees and hips, only for those with artificial heart valves. My mom was on prophylactic antibiotics for dental work after her knee replacements. Thanks! I'm not sure why I never heard of this. I guess it's never come up since I'm not typically worried about dental cleanings or seeing those with fresh joint replacements. They don't need antibiotics for a heart cath and would already be getting them for a pacemaker or open heart surgery--so it's never been on my radar. See, you learn something new every day! 🤓👍 |
|
|
|
Post by lisae on Feb 25, 2023 21:48:45 GMT
You can contact the surgeon. I would not expect this to be the type of infection he was concerned about. Millions of people have had Covid and millions have artificial joints. I think if there was a risk we would have heard of an uptick in revisions - removing an infected artificial joint, treating with antibiotics and replacing it. He needs to be particularly cautious with dental work, even routine work. Bacteria from the mouth can get into the blood stream and cause an infection. I had an aunt who fell and injured one leg on an old wooden bridge on her property. The infection spread do the artificial knee of the other leg. I try to always treat any wounds DH gets by cleaning them well and treating with antibiotic spray because he has several artifical joints. He takes antibiotics before dental visits, even cleanings. Interesting, I have never heard of prophylactic antibiotics for dental cleanings for typical joint replacements like knees and hips, only for those with artificial heart valves. Oh, yes. We were first told this with his first hip replacement. Everyone I know with joint replacements takes antibiotics with dental work. A friend's mother had to have a knee revision because her teeth were bad and the infection got in before she got her dental work done. The mouth is apparently germ central in the body. In recent years some dentists have told us this isn't necessary for cleanings but the orthopedists still recommend it. However, unless you hear about it from someone else, I don't think the doctors typically tell you this until after you have had your joint replacement. |
|
|
|
Post by littlemama on Feb 25, 2023 22:34:46 GMT
You can be contagious up to 2 days before symptoms, so you should definitely be taking precautions.
As for "infection", I would let the surgeon know because it doesnt hurt to let them know if you dont need to, but it could be bad if you dont let them know, but should have.
|
|
|
|
Post by Zee on Feb 26, 2023 2:14:17 GMT
Interesting, I have never heard of prophylactic antibiotics for dental cleanings for typical joint replacements like knees and hips, only for those with artificial heart valves. Oh, yes. We were first told this with his first hip replacement. Everyone I know with joint replacements takes antibiotics with dental work. A friend's mother had to have a knee revision because her teeth were bad and the infection got in before she got her dental work done. The mouth is apparently germ central in the body. In recent years some dentists have told us this isn't necessary for cleanings but the orthopedists still recommend it. However, unless you hear about it from someone else, I don't think the doctors typically tell you this until after you have had your joint replacement. The only person I know personally with new knees is MIL and she has dentures, and I've never sent any patients for dental procedures so didn't know. I thought it was only a concern for cardiac valve/pacemaker patients. Thanks again! |
|
