You have undergone an arthroscopic procedure on your knee. In this document, you can read about how the surgery was performed and what you need to pay special attention to during your recovery.

If you have been given a personal surgical report, you should follow the instructions described there. Contact the ambulatory if you have any questions.

How was the surgery performed?

Your knee joint has been examined using an arthroscope, and the meniscus injury has been repaired with stitches. For a detailed description of your procedure, please read your surgery report.

Can discomfort or complications occur?

• A small percentage of patients develop a wound infection, which is treated with antibiotics
• A small percentage may develop a blood clot in the veins of the operated leg. This can cause swelling, fever, and pain. Depending on the location of the blood clot, we treat it with blood-thinning medication.

How to prevent infection

Avoid baths and swimming pools until the wound has healed. Change the bandages if it becomes soaked or wet.

What to do with the bandages and sutures?

• The compression bandage should be removed tonight before you go to bed
• The bandages underneath may be removed 24 hours after the surgery, and you may take a shower. If the wound is bleeding or leaking, apply a new bandage
• The stitches will be removed after approximately 10 days by a nurse at the Orthopedic Outpatient Clinic. You will receive an appointment via e-Boks
• If you live far away, the stitches can be removed by your own doctor. You must schedule this appointment yourself.

Rehabilitation

• The day after surgery, you should start exercising your thigh muscles and doing vein pump exercises — bending your ankle and tensing your calf muscles
• You will receive an appointment for rehabilitation with a physiotherapist via e-Boks
• You should begin the rehabilitation exercises tomorrow as instructed before the surgery. (Read the exercise program provided by the physiotherapist or given to you on the day of surgery.) If you are wearing a brace (Don Joy), you may take this off during the exercises. Read the exercise program for further instructions
• Take your pain medication as prescribed to ensure you can complete your exercises
• You will start physiotherapy two weeks after the operation. You will receive an appointment via e-Boks
• Use crutches until you can walk normally again.

After the surgery

• An adult should stay with you during the first night
• It is not safe to drive a vehicle as long as you are wearing a bandage
• It is recommended that you rest the first couple of days after the surgery
• The amount of weight you are allowed to put on the operated leg is described in your surgery report
• You have been fitted with a Don Joy brace, which is locked in straight position. When you see the physiotherapist after two weeks, the brace will be unlocked. You must wear the brace for six weeks, including at night. The brace may only be removed when taking a shower and doing exercises
• You may resume to light work after 2-3 weeks. However, if you have a physically demanding job, it may take longer before you are ready
• When you visit the Outpatient Orthopedic Clinic for stitch removal, you will receive an appointment for a follow-up consultation with the surgeon and you will start physiotherapy with the physiotherapist at the hospital.

Pain and swelling after surgery

• Your knee may feel tight and swollen the first few weeks
• Keep your leg elevated the first few days after surgery to reduce swelling and help with pain relief
• To reduce swelling and pain, you may use a cooling bandage on the knee for about 20 minutes at a time, each hour. You can use a bag of frozen peas, remember always to wrap the cooling item in a towel to prevent frostbite
• The pain medication you pick up from the pharmacy is usually sufficient to treat the pain after surgery. It is important to take your pain medication during the recovery period. This will help minimize discomfort and allow you to begin your rehabilitation.

When should I take my medication?

We recommend you take your next dose of pain-relieving medication at:

Other medications:

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Name of contact nurse: 

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What to do if you feel unwell?

You should seek medical assistance if:

• You get a fever above 38 degrees Cﹾ
• You experience increasing pain in your knee or calf
• You experience that the bandage is too tight
• You experience swelling, redness or tenderness around the surgical site.

Contact within the first 24 hours:

The Deparment of Day Surgery, Hvidovre Hospital
Telephone 38 62 10 41 (weekdays between 08:00 a.m - 03:00 p.m)

Outside of opening hours, you can contact 1813 or your general practitioner.

Contact within the next days after surgery:

The Outpatient Orthopedic Clinic, Hvidovre Hospital
Telephone 38 62 22 44 (weekdays between 08:00 a.m – 03:00 p.m)

Outside of opening hours, you can contact 1813 or your general practitioner.