Knee Arthroscopy and Cartilage Biopsy

The procedure you have just undergone to knee arthroscopy and cartilage biopsy. These instructions are intended as general guidelines. They may be modified due to your particular problem by your physician.

It is important, especially in the first 48 hours, that you keep your limb elevated higher than your heart as this helps reduce swelling and speeds recovery.

Danger Signals

• Severe pain;
• Fingers or toes becoming cold, purple, or numb;
• Excessive swelling of the fingers;
• Any fever greater than 101 F.

If you experience any of the above danger signals, please contact the office at 916-732-3005 or 916-732-3000.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS / FOLLOW-UP APPOINTMENT

Follow-up Appointment/Special Instructions

1. Strict elevation of operated leg
2. Start bending and straightening your knee right away.
3. Ice 20-30 mins at a time 4-5 times daily
4. Start range of motion of ankle immediately
5. Weight bearing as tolerated on lower extremity
6. You can start riding a stationary bike right away.
7. Do not run, no jogging, no jumping, no sports.
8. After elevating, ice and giving pain medications, if patient has excruciating pain to move fingers passively, then take immediately to ER, do not wait for a call.

Dressing

1. Please keep dressings clean, dry and intact for the next three days. On postop day three after surgery, you may remove the TED hose stocking and dressings on your knee. Do not remove the tapes (Steri-Strips) on your knee until 2 weeks after surgery. You may shower and get the knee wet. However, do not soak your wounds, no baths, no pools, no spas. After showering, please dry your wound and replace the TED hose stocking. If there is any using from your wound, please place some dry dressings over the incision site.
2. Please wear the TED hose stocking for the next two weeks to help with swelling and to help prevent a blood clot. Please roll down the top of the stocking periodically to prevent damage to your skin.

Follow Up Appointment Information

Call our office to schedule follow up appointment for 10-14 days, 916-732-3005.

Physical therapy – you should start physical therapy within 3 to 5 days after surgery. If you do not have an appointment, please contact our office.

Medications

1. Anti-inflammatory (Aleve, Ibuprofen) – start taking this medication right away with food after surgery. Please choose one or the other but not both.
   1. Advil (Ibuprofen) 800 mg one tablet (4 over-the-counter tablets) every 8 hours with food
   2. Aleve (Naprosyn) 500 mg tablets (2 over-the-counter tablets) every 12 hours with food
2. Tylenol 1000 mg every 6 hours as needed. You can take this medication with the anti-inflammatory if you have more discomfort.
3. Aspirin 81 mg once a day for 4 weeks – if you are taking oral contraceptives.

QUESTIONS/CONCERNS

You can also contact our office directly by using the Klara texting application. You can respond to the text messages sent by our office or your can initiate a new conversation by clicking on the purple “MESSAGE US” at the bottom of my webpage. www.sacorthosports.com

Greg Takenishi, MD
Sacramento Orthopedic Sports & Shoulder
Sacramento River Cats Head Team physician
San Francisco Giants Team physician
www.sacorthosports.com