Dr. Browdy’s Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
With Meniscus Repair Instructions
You have just had an arthroscopically assisted anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction and a meniscus repair. Following these guidelines should give you the best chance for a quick recovery.
| Diet: | Advance to solid food as tolerated. |
| Bandages: | Leave your dressings on until you follow up in the office in 7-10 days. If you leave the surgery center with a cooling pad, you may remove it and replace it as needed. |
| Bathing/Shower: | You should keep the surgical site dry until you have seen Dr. Browdy in the office. You should consider sponge bathing for the first 7 to 10 days after surgery. |
| Activity: | You will leave the surgery center with a knee brace that has hinges at the knee. The brace is adjustable: a specific range of motion can be set on the brace, or the brace can be locked in a specific position. Because you had a meniscus repair, your activities will be more limited than if you had an ACL reconstruction without a meniscus repair. Unless told otherwise, you may bear weigh on your operative knee, as long as your brace is locked in full extension. At your first post-operative office visit, Dr. Browdy will discuss when you may begin bending your knee. You should remove your brace completely up to five times a day to work on heel props. You should also perform ankle pumps on a regular basis to prevent blood clots. You will likely leave the surgery center with compression hoses on each leg. It is advisable you use the hose on both legs for two weeks, and then use the hose on the operative leg as much and for as long as you desire to help keep swelling down. |
| Medications: | Many patients elect to have a "block" prior to surgery to help with post-operative pain relief. This block provides significant pain relief in the early post-operative period, but it will wear off 12-24 hours after surgery. Your leg will likely remain weak for the duration of the nerve block. Usually, the block provides pain relief for the front of the knee, but will not provide significant relief for the back of the knee. If you had a hamstring reconstruction, you will likely have discomfort in the back of the knee. You will be prescribed a narcotic pain medicine to help with control the pain you might experience after the block wears off. It is very important to "stay ahead" of the pain by taking the medication prior to the onset of severe pain. Once you start to regain sensation in the toes or foot, it is advisable to take your pain medicine - do not wait until you hurt to take your pain medicine. Pain medicine can cause nausea, so take the medication with food. You may be given a prescription to deal with nausea. You do not need to fill this prescription, but you should keep it handy in the event you need it. |
| Comfort Measures: | It is advisable to get up and "move around" as much as you can tolerate after surgery, as doing so helps prevent blood clots. However, whenever you are not up specifically doing something, you should keep your leg elevated above the heart level for at least the first three days after surgery, and perhaps longer if needed. A cooling system may have been applied. If not, you may use a large bag of ice. In either case, keeping the knee cool will help significantly reduce swelling and pain. If you have an ice machine with a thermostat, do not let the temperature go below 45 degrees, as frostbite can occur. In addition to pain medication, you can use ice. Ice is an excellent way to diminish pain and swelling after surgery. You can apply it to the knee for 15-20 minutes at a time. |
| Problems: | Your knee may have swelling and soreness for the first several days. This is to be expected. Please contact Dr. Browdy's office if you have any of the following:
Please call us if you have any questions. |
| Appointments: | You will need to see Dr. Browdy for a follow-up appointment 7-10 days after surgery. Please call the office to make this appointment. At this first appointment physical therapy will likely be prescribed. |
| Phone Numbers: | Advanced Orthopedics of Clayton: 314-721-7325 |
| Medication Refill Policy: | It is the policy of Advanced Orthopedics that narcotic medications will only be refilled during office hours. |
Heel props are very helpful in helping you regain extension. You can roll up a large towel or use a stack of phone books to "prop" the heel up, allowing the back of the knee to sag downward. Alternatively, you can sit in a chair, propping the heel on a second chair facing you, with space between the two chairs, allowing the knee to hyperextend. Each time you do your heel props, you should spend about ten minutes on each session.
