{"id":112,"date":"2026-02-05T11:52:57","date_gmt":"2026-02-05T11:52:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/millsteinorthopedics.com\/?page_id=112"},"modified":"2026-04-03T15:29:17","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T20:29:17","slug":"discharge-instructions-for-knee-arthroscopic-surgery","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/millsteinorthopedics.com\/?page_id=112","title":{"rendered":"Knee Arthroscopic"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Discharge Instructions For
Knee Arthroscopic Surgery<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Below are discharge instructions for knee arthroscopic surgery.\u00a0<\/p>

Remember to re-read these after your surgery<\/span><\/span><\/p>

BANDAGES<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Knee bandages should remain in place following surgery until changed in the office during your first post-operative appointment. Ace wrap or stocking may be removed for showering but should be reapplied for comfort during the first several days following surgery.<\/p>

SHOWERING<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Showers are acceptable after 24 hours; no use of bathtub or Jacuzzis. After removing the wraps or stocking covering the knee, the small clear bandage should provide a water barrier for quick showers but not for submersion of the knee under water.<\/p>

BLEEDING<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

In some cases, oozing at the point of incision does persist for several hours.\u00a0 You may notice a small amount of bloody drainage on the bandages.\u00a0 If you are concerned about excessive bleeding, please contact our office.<\/p>

SWELLING<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

It is common to experience temporary swelling around the knee joint, which will give you stiffness and discomfort.\u00a0 This may last for several weeks after the surgery.\u00a0 To minimize the swelling, utilize the ice machine supplied and elevate the leg above the level of your heart.\u00a0\u00a0If you notice excessive swelling about the leg\/ankle\/foot please contact the office.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

ICING<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Safe use of an ice pack contributes to pain relief and reduction in swelling. You can apply ice as often as needed on top of your dressing during the first postoperative day. After your dressing is removed, ice can be applied for 20-minute periods, 3-4 times per day. Please have a barrier between the ice pack and your skin to prevent frostbite.<\/p>

RELIEF OF PAIN<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Most patients are prescribed the following medications.\u00a0 These medications may be used together and should be taken as instructed on the pharmacy bottle:<\/p>

Vicodin\/Norco<\/strong><\/span>\u2013 a narcotic pain medication (hydrocodone) combined with acetaminophen (generic form of Tylenol)<\/p>

Or Ultram (Tramadol)<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0– a narcotic pain medication<\/p>

Tylenol<\/span>\u00a0<\/strong>\u2013 may be used in place of pain medication (Norco\/Percocet) for mild pain.\u00a0 Please note that the maximum daily dose of Tylenol is 4000 mg.<\/p>

ECASA<\/span>\u00a0<\/strong>\u2013 coated aspirin \u2013 ECASA 325 mg daily for 10 days may decrease the unlikely complication of blood clots (DVT) and pulmonary emboli.\u00a0 Early movement and mobilization may also decrease this risk.\u00a0 If you have a personal or family history of clotting please discuss with our office and your internist as additional medications may be indicated.<\/p>

Do not take strong medication on an empty stomach.\u00a0 Do not drink alcohol or drive while taking a prescribed pain medication.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

DIET<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

The after day of surgery, drink lots of fluids and eat soft, nutritious foods.\u00a0 An adequate diet is essential for the healing process.<\/p>

NAUSEA AND VOMITING<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Although unusual, both can be experienced after anesthesia in surgery.\u00a0 If you have a tendency for this, please discuss it with the anesthesiologist.\u00a0 Otherwise it is usually alleviated with a clear liquid diet.<\/p>

DROWSINESS<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

After anesthesia, drowsiness may persist for quite a while.<\/p>

COMMON COMPLAINTS AFTER SURGERY<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

It is not uncommon that patients complain of a sensation of liquid within the joint.\u00a0 Some patients also note occasional clicking or popping with movement.\u00a0 These are typical sensations after knee surgery and rarely represent a problem.<\/p>

ACTIVITIES<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Bending the knee and walking should be performed to your COMFORT.<\/p>

POSTOPERATIVE OFFICE VISIT<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Your first post-operative visit should already be arranged.\u00a0 If not, please call our office during regular working hours to schedule your\u00a0post op visit.<\/p>

DAY OF SURGERY<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Patients are typically asked to arrive at the surgery center 1-2 hours prior to surgery in order to complete paperwork, speak with nurses and anesthesiologist, etc.\u00a0 The surgery lasts approximately 1 hour and time in the recovery room usually lasts an additional 1-2 hours.<\/p>

You MUST be picked up by a family member, friend etc who will be allowed to join you in the recovery room once you are awake and comfortable.\u00a0 It is typically helpful to have a friend or family member stay with you at home for the first 24 hours after surgery.<\/p>

EMERGENCY<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Please call 911 if you have a life-threatening emergency.\u00a0 If after hours, please call the office and you will be connected with the doctor on call.<\/p>

WE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE DAY OF SURGERY AND POST OPERATIVE RECOVERY AS EASY AS POSSIBLE FOR YOU.\u00a0 IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR IF PROBLEMS SHOULD DEVELOP, DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT US.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tKnee Arthroscopic Surgery<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Discharge Instructions For Knee Arthroscopic Surgery Below are discharge instructions for knee arthroscopic surgery.\u00a0 Remember to re-read these after your surgery BANDAGES Knee bandages should remain in place following surgery until changed in the office during your first post-operative appointment. Ace wrap or stocking may be removed for showering but should be reapplied for comfort […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":110,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-112","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/millsteinorthopedics.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/112","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/millsteinorthopedics.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/millsteinorthopedics.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/millsteinorthopedics.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/millsteinorthopedics.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=112"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/millsteinorthopedics.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/112\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3622,"href":"https:\/\/millsteinorthopedics.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/112\/revisions\/3622"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/millsteinorthopedics.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/110"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/millsteinorthopedics.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=112"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}