Drjosephnorris.com

DR. NORRIS- knee scopes w/ ligament reconstruction
General Information
Dr. Norris and his office staff are available 24/7. If you have a problem or question during business hours please contact the office at 309.663.6461 or the nurses’ line at 309.662.2958. If you have a problem or question after business hours please contact the office answering service at 309.823.0311. You should return directly home and rest for the remainder of today, the day of surgery. You should not drive for 24 hours, and do not drive until you are confident that you can drive safely. There is no reliable way anyone can say when it is safe for you to drive; you need to be honest with yourself. You should not make any important personal or business decisions for at least 24 hours. Do not drink any alcoholic beverages for at least 24 or if you are taking any narcotic pain medications. DRESSING
Keep the dressing clean and dry for the first 48 hours. Cover and do not get wet when showering during the first 48 hours only. Remove the dressing 48 hours after surgery. You may shower and allow incision to get wet, but no soaks or cleaning incisions until instructed at fol ow up appointment. Pat dry and may leave open to air or cover with Band-Aids. Do not remove any steri- strips, stitches, or dermibond that may be covering your incision. Do NOT apply any Neosporin, alcohol, or hydrogen peroxide to the incision. ACTIVITY
Keep brace in place at all times when up walking. You may put weight down on your operative leg, but keep the brace locked in extension. When you are relaxing it is ok to remove brace for gentle range of motion. You shouldstart the ankle pump exercises the evening of surgery to help prevent any blood clots. The first few days after surgery you do not need to worry about the exercises you were taught in therapy. Allow yourself time to rest and take your pain medicine. The key to the first week after surgery is to maintain ful extension of your knee. It is recommended you continue to use the crutches until Dr. Norris has instructed you to wean from the brace. You may walk around without the crutches, but it may be difficult to walk around with your leg locked in extension in the brace. When elevating your leg to help decrease swel ing always place the pil ows under your calf and ankle, never under your knee. You wil usually get some black and blue discoloration around the area of your incision. This may travel to other areas over the next couple days due to gravity or elevation. This is normal and comes from blood seeping through the tissues. PAIN AND NAUSEA
Dr. Norris wil prescribe Vicodin (hydrocodone) which is a narcotic pain medicine. Always take the narcotic medicine with food; otherwise it may upset your stomach. Do NOT take Tylenol in addition to this medication. Dr. Norris wil also prescribe Toradol (ketorolac) which is a strong anti-inflammatory medication. This medicine wil help decrease inflammation, swel ing, and pain. You are to take this medicine every 6 hours with food until gone. Always take Toradol with food; otherwise it may upset your stomach. If you have continued problems with your stomach despite taking with food, please stop taking the medicine and contact our office. Depending on what anesthesia is used, you may experience some nausea and vomiting. Most often it is occasioned by eating just before leaving the surgery center and then bouncing around in the car. Give yourself some time between eating and leaving the surgery center. If you get nauseated or vomit, give yourself some quiet time and it usual y resolves. PRECAUTIONS
A little swel ing, redness, and bleeding is normal. If your dressing becomes saturated or if youhave redness, swel ing, or drainage like an infected scratch or pimple, this may not be normal and you should call the office or after hours number. A fever greater than 101.5 degrees F is abnormal. If you think you have a fever, take your temperature with a thermometer. Call Dr. Norris if it is over 101.5 degrees F. OFFICE APPOINTMENT
Upon discharge, you wil receive your postoperative appointment date and time. If you have any further questions please feel free to contact my office. Once again please call Dr. Norris/nurse Katie if you have any questions. Try to call during daytime hours if possible. However, he / she would rather hear from you at any time than not at all.

Source: http://www.drjosephnorris.com/wp-content/themes/josephnorris/pdf/knee-scope-ligam-post-op-instructions.pdf