For Patients: After Your Surgery

Activity
 

We want our patients to be mobile, but don’t over do it for the first 3 days after surgery. The effects of the anesthesia can last for 24 hours or more. You may be light headed or dizzy, so move slowly.

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Physical Therapy​

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You will be given a prescription prior to surgery. It is best to have therapy pre-arranged so you can begin directly after surgery. Please set this up to begin right away after surgery. When you begin therapy, take some pain medication about a half hour before your session.
 

Driving
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We will not provide any prescription for a handicap plaque, please contact your primary care physician if you desire to have one. You may begin driving if you feel comfortable to brake and gas in an emergency situation and are no longer taking the narcotic medication (1-3 weeks).

 

Preventing Infection​

 

A replacement joint is not as good at fighting off bacteria as a natural joint. Infection can be a serious problem after joint replacement surgery.

 

You can help prevent infection by:

• Cleaning your hands with soap and water or hand sanitizer

  • Before touching your incision (surgical cut) or changing your dressing

  • After using the toilet or blowing your nose

  • After doing housework, yardwork, or caring for your animals

• Making sure your family/friends wash their hands

• Getting your teeth checked by a dentist. Bacteria from cavities or gum disease can be a source of infection. Repair any dental problems before surgery. Brush your teeth 2 times a day and floss regularly

• Being aware of any cuts, scrapes, sore, or redness. These could be a path for germs to get into your system.

 

Care of Your Incision

 

Normally, it takes about 2 weeks for your incision to heal. If you have sutures or staples, they will be removed about 2 weeks after surgery. Over the next 6 to 8 weeks, your incision may feel numb, tight and itchy, which is part of normal healing.

 

To care for your incision:

• Leave the surgical dressing on for 2-3 days. If you have a small to moderate amount of bloody drainage on your bandage, reinforce with gauze and another ACE wrap.

  • If you bleed through or if it gets wet, call our office.

• After 3 days, you may remove the dressing. If there are steri-strips, prineo (clear), or aquacel (yellow) leave these on.

  • You may shower and you may gently wash your incision and ensure it is completely dry after bathing on the 5th post-op day.

  • If you have a waterproof mesh dressing (prineo), leave this in place while the wound heals. With this dressing, you may shower immediately after surgery. The prineo dressing generally falls off on its own after 2-4 weeks.

• Do not soak the knee or take baths for 1 month after surgery.

• Never dab lotion, ointment, powders, or perfume on the incision while it is healing.

 

Swelling and Preventing Blood Clots

 

It is common to have more swelling and pain 4 to 7 days after surgery, which is often after you leave the hospital. After about a week, swelling and pain will get better day by day. You may continue to have some swelling  for up to 6 months after surgery.

 

A deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot that can form in a vein after joint replacement surgery. A piece of the clot can break off, travel through the bloodstream to the lung, and can cause death.

 

To decrease the chance of DVT:

• Compression stockings (TED hose) or ACE wraps

• Activity to help increase circulation: Ankle pumps while lying in bed and walking

• Elevation of the limb above the heart

• Take your aspirin or other blood thinner regularly

 

Preventing Constipation

 

A side effect of taking pain medicine is constipation. Decreased activity can also lead to constipation.

• Gradually increase your intake of fiber-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

• Drink 8 or more 8 oz. glasses of fluids each day.

• Stay as active as you can.

• Consider taking a stool softener or laxative especially while on a narcotic/pain medication. Many of these are available over-the-counter at your local drug store.

 

If constipation problems continue, call your primary care physician.

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Returning to Work

 

Returning to work varies between patients and how demanding their jobs are.

 

• Total Knee Replacement 4-6 weeks

• Partial Knee Replacement 2-4 weeks

• Total Hip Replacement 2-4 weeks

• Shoulder Replacement 6-8 weeks

 

Dentist Appointments

 

Your dentist can prescribe you an antibiotic before any procedure for a year after a joint replacement.

 

When to go to the emergency room

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• Your lower leg or toes feel numb, tingly, cool to the touch or are pale

• You have a fever over 101 degrees Fahrenheit without being able to bring it down with Tylenol

• Chest pain or shortness of breath

• You have calf or thigh pain that is constant and does not go away with the rest, elevation, or stretching

 

When to call our office or surgeon

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• You have any questions or concerns about your health

• The edges of your incision come apart

• You bandages get wet or you bleed through bandages

• Your pain medicine is not managing your pain

• You have side effects from your medicine such as an upset stomach, throwing up, redness, rash, or itching

• Your incision has increased redness, hot to touch,  more painful than it has been, oozes a new drainage or smells bad, or bleeds enough to come through your bandage