The "ice machine"

[badbone]

There is lots of talk on the "ice machine"

I will be having surgery next month.
Does the hospital provide you with an ice machine that they own, when you are in the hospital?
And when you leave the hospital, that is the time you need to provide your own?

Or do they need YOU to provide you own and deliver it to the hospital prior to surgery?

Thanks

[einreb]

I guess it may vary by doctor, but I picked mine up at the pre surgery visit with dr gross and took it to the hospital with me per his instructions.

[Neild5]

Neither Doctor that did my hips pushed the ice machine but I bought one off eBay for the second hip and it helps control the swelling.  He now recommends them.

[blinky]

Varies by hospital.


With Dr Gross, we bought it at the pre op visit and took it with us to the hospital. We could choose to buy different attachments, like two ads instead of one or one for the shoulder. I had two hips done but bought one pad. I figured I would alternate at home. When I woke up from surgery, the device was on my hip and working.


In the hospital, when I had two swollen hips, the nurses put ice packs on one hip, ice machine on the other. They let me take that ice pack home and I used it on the airplane.


My husband has a sore shoulder and I am regretting not buying the shoulder pad.

[oldsoccerplayer]

Most insurances don't cover the ice machine and no one will just give you one. Dr. Gross' clinic sells them but they are quite expensive. I got mine much cheaper on eBay then resold it via this site when I didn't need it any more. It definitely helped but I understand that you can also use regular ice packs or bags of frozen peas but it's a bit less convenient.