Knee
Arthroscopy
Post discharge
advice
Patient Information
Knee Arthroscopy
This leaflet has been developed to give
you some general information about your
recovery following your knee arthroscopy
operation.
Please do not hesitate to ask your Doctor or
Nurse if you have any further questions.
Wound Care
When can I remove my dressing?
You will have a pressure bandage on your
knee which should remain in place until you
are instructed to remove it by your Surgeon
or Nurse. This is usually within 24-48 hours
following surgery. During this time, try to
keep it undisturbed, clean and dry.
After you have removed the outer dressing/
bandage as instructed, you should check the
small incision sites in your knee in case there
any signs of infection (see section: “When
should I contact the hospital?”)
If there are further smaller dressings
covering these, do not change them unless:
•
•
•
They become loose
They become wet, either through water
or blood
There is discharge coming through the
dressings (a small amount of discharge
can be normal and does not indicate the
need for a change of dressing)
If we think you may need to change the
dressing, we will give you a small supply to
take home with you.
Swelling
There may be some swelling of the knee
which can persist for up to 2-4 weeks. You
can help reduce this by following the regime
below:
•
Elevating the knee above the level of
your heart
• Compression of the swelling by using a
suitable non-stretch crepe bandage
applied to the knee, (N.B. this should be
applied evenly and not too tight, to
avoid cutting off your circulation).
• Ice, in the form of crushed ice placed
within a thin plastic bag and then wrapped
in a cloth (do not apply iced bag directly
to the skin) can be applied to the swollen
areas for 20-30 minutes, several times a
day (N.B. ice must not be reapplied within
2 hours of the last treatment).
If you are in doubt about any of the above
please contact your physiotherapist/nurse
who will be happy to clarify this for you.
Have I got stitches which need
to be removed?
Types of skin closures
Nowadays there are various ways to keep the
skin edges together following your operation
to allow them to knit together. These
include:
•
•
•
•
•
Non absorbable stitches (these need to
be removed)
Absorbable stitches (these dissolve over
several weeks and do not need to be
removed)
Metal clips (these need to be removed)
Paper skin closures or ‘butterfly stitches’
•
(these need to be removed or are left
until they fall off naturally)
Skin glue (this dissolves over time and
does not need to be removed)
You will be informed by your Surgeon or
Nurse which type of skin closure you have
and if and when they need to be removed.
Leaving skin closures (which should be
removed) in the skin for too long can cause
inflammation and infection. Therefore it
is important to keep your appointment for
the removal of any skin closures.
Mobility
Please refer to the exercises that your
Physiotherapist has given you and continue
with these as you have been advised.
Walking (either with or without walking
aids) is a good form of exercise. Try not to
limp and only walk short distances initially,
gradually building up the distance walked
each day.
Pain Relief
Arthroscopic surgery may cause some
discomfort.
It is important to take your painkillers as you
have been advised. If you are experiencing
discomfort, it is advisable to take pain relief
regularly – especially for the first few days.
Ice packs (please use as instructed) can also
help reduce pain. If pain persists and is not
controlled with the medication you have
been advised to take, then please contact
the hospital for further advice.
Can I have a bath or shower?
Generally it is fine to have a bath or shower
after 48 hours and/or when your dressing
has been removed. But please follow the
instructions given to you by your
Surgeon / Nurse.
•
•
•
•
Have a shower in preference to a bath
Try not to use soaps, lotions, creams,
powders etc directly on your wounds
Let the clean water wash over the wounds
gently – do not rub or try to clean them
with your hands as this could cause pain
and prevent healing
Dry your wounds by carefully patting
them with a clean towel
Returning to Work
When can I return to work?
When you can return to work depends
upon the type of work you do.
You will probably be able to return to
a desk or sedentary job within a week.
However, if your job involves strenuous
work or a lot of lifting, driving or kneeling,
then you will need to take longer off work.
Your Surgeon will advise you on the amount
of time you will need to be away from work,
and you can obtain a medical certificate
before you leave the hospital.
Driving
When can I drive again?
Do not drive until you are confident about
controlling your vehicle in an emergency
and always check with your insurance
company first.
Sexual Activity
You can resume sexual activity as soon as
your knee feels comfortable enough.
When should I contact the
hospital?
If you are concerned about your wound or if
you develop a high temperature, then please
contact the hospital.
Signs to look for include:
•
•
You feel increased pain around
your wound
There is increased redness or swelling
around your wound
You think there is excessive discharge or
bleeding from your wound.
You notice pus in your wound (yellow or
green discharge)
•
•
Thrombosis or Embolism
On rare occasions some patients develop a
blood clot. The following signs may indicate
that you have developed a blood clot in
your leg (deep vein thrombosis or DVT) or
that it may have travelled to your lungs
(pulmonary embolus or PE). If you suffer
from any of these symptoms you must also
seek urgent medical attention (e.g. by going
to A&E or calling an ambulance):
•
•
Increased pain, swelling, redness or heat
in your leg
Shortness of breath, coughing up blood
or chest pain
For more information on DVT/PE, please ask
to see our separate leaflet.
Additional Comments
References and further information:
1. Arthroscopy and Arthroscopic Surgery
www.patient.co.uk Accessed April 2011
2. NHS Direct Information Leaflet:
Arthroscopy http://www.cks.nhs.uk/home
Accessed April 2011
3. Belanger, A.Y. (2008) Evidence-based
Guide to Therapeutic Physical Agents,
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Additional Comments
KNEE ARTHROSCOPY - v2.1
CL-3026-000-R Public
Issue date: Mar 2013
Review date: April 2014