PRE-OP (outpatient and inpatient)
- The hospital/surgery center will notify you when and where to arrive both for pre-surgical testing and on the day of surgery. If medical clearance is needed, patients must see their primary care physician to obtain this information (a note will be sent to him/her to notify them of surgical plan).
- Please arrive 1½ -2.0 hours prior to your scheduled surgery time to ensure that all paperwork is prepared and finished. Wear comfortable clothing. During this time, you will be prepared for surgery.
- Please stop all aspirin or aspirin containing products one week prior to surgery. This includes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Naprosyn, Motrin, and Aleve.
- Please make sure you have a trustworthy adult/family member that we can give your post-surgical information to and drive you home after the procedure.
POST-OP (outpatient —surgery center or hospital)
For all ARTHROSCOPIC procedures/outpatient
- Dressings. Change them to band-aids in 48 hours. If a lower extremity procedure, then re-wrap with the ace bandage.
- Use of extremity. Specific instructions will be given in your post-op orders. For the first 48 hours it is important to take it easy. You just had surgery and the body needs time to recuperate. Ice and elevate the extremity.
- Follow-up. Patients will be seen one week after surgery. Your follow-up appointment will be made the same day that surgery is scheduled in the office. Subsequent appointments will be made on an individual basis.
- Rehab. Patients may get a prescription for rehab prior to or after surgery, depending on the type of procedure performed. The majority of patients will do minimal rehab in the first post-operative week.
POST-OP (inpatient and 23 ° Admit)
- Patients who undergo procedures that involve admission to the hospital will include those undergoing joint replacement, joint fusions or some reconstructions (multiple knee ligaments, complex procedures)
- After surgery you will be taken to the medical/surgical floor. Blood may be drawn and more medication will be given either for prophylactic reasons or to continue your home regimens.
- If a total knee replacement is performed, then a Continuous Passive Machine (CPM) will be started that same day.
- The next morning physical and occupational therapy begins.
- If you are scheduled to stay overnight, you will be discharged once you are medically stable and at the doctor’s discretion
- For joint replacement patients and other major procedures, the length of stay depends on many variables. At the end of the stay, patients will either: go home with at home physical therapy or outpatient physical therapy or get transferred to a Rehabilitation Unit at a skilled nursing facility for better supervised therapy.