Post-Operative Instruction Sheet for ACL Knee Arthroscopy

Thank you for using Carondelet Orthopaedic Surgeons to provide medical care for your needs.

• Following your operative procedure, you will be allowed to go home with the assistance of another individual and should remain at home unless emergency situations arise for approximately 48 hours. During this time, it would be beneficial for you to elevate your leg on a pillow or cushion and apply ice for approximately twenty minutes every hour or two while you are awake. This is not necessary through the night.
  
  
• You may move around your house to provide the basic activities of daily living, such as going to the bathroom or eating. If your knee is uncomfortable you may need to use crutches, advancing your activities as tolerated. Depending on the surgery, you may be non-weight bearing for a period of time after surgery. We will inform you of this upon discharge.
  
  
• We usually recommend showering after a 48 hour period. All of the dressings should be removed for showering except the strip bandages. Soap and water can run across the wounds. However, we do not want the wounds submerged or immersed below water of any kind until at least two weeks have passed. After showering, you may dry the wounds with a towel, cover them with band-aids and/or wrap the knee loosely with an ace-wrap.
  
  
• It is not unusual for your dressing to soak through with bleeding. If it is excessive it is permissible to remove the ace and put 4X4 gauze pads over the spotted area to reinforce it. If the bleeding is not stopped by that you may need to remove the entire dressing, identify the spot that is draining, reinforce it and cover it with 4X4 gauze and an ace wrap to prevent the bleeding. If this does not curtail the bleeding and the bleeding persists to a large degree, or if there is great uncertainty as to the safety of this, then of course call your physician. It would be helpful to have band-aids, gauze pads and ace-wrap on hand.
  
  
• Pain medication will be given and should be administered according to the instructions on the prescription. It is usual for people to require pain medications every 4-6 hours if they are in pain. It is not unusual to experience nausea and constipation, and sometimes sedation with narcotic pain medications. If any of these are occurring to an uncomfortable level, then either cut back on the amount of pain medication you are taking or stop taking it and call your physician. A stool softener may be helpful for constipation while taking pain medications. This is an over-the-counter product, such as Colace® or Miralax®. Try to anticipate your need for pain medications during office hours if possible, as it is difficult to obtain after office hours.
  
  
• An appointment is usually required following your operative procedure. This may occur anywhere from five to seven days after your operative procedure, depending upon the instructions of your physician. It is important that you call the office following the operation, make an appointment and come back so that the physician may examine your knee and determine if it is progressing as desired.

PHONE 913 642 0200

11/2010