Wound Care

• Remove dressing in 3 days and apply band aid to cover sutures.
• Keep steri-strips in place until they fall off or they are removed at your first post-operative visit.
• After your steri-strips have fallen off, you do not need to cover your incisions with any bandage.
• You may shower in 3 days; be sure to pat the incision dry afterwards.
• Do not scrub the area; just allow water/soap to wash over you.
• Do not bathe or swim until approved by Dr. Pettit.

Ice

• We recommend that you use ice on a consistent basis for the first 24–48 hours. This will help reduce post-operative swelling. After that, use as necessary.
• Use a cloth between the ice and your skin. DO NOT place ice directly on skin as this may cause frostbite. Do not leave ice wrap or cold therapy on for more than 20 minutes without checking your skin.

Braces

• With a Osteochondral Lesion Fixation. You will keep your knee straight for 2-4 weeks. This will be with a knee immobilizer or a brace. Please wear TED compression stockings for 1 week.

Crutches & Weight bearing status

• Following a OCD Fixation, you will only touch the heel down for balance on the extremity for 8 weeks. At 8 weeks we will ease you back into normal walking without crutches.

Physical Therapy

• Formal physical therapy will be ordered by your orthopedic surgeon in the form of a written prescription at your first follow up. The prescription and protocol should be given to a physical therapist of your choice so you can begin your program as directed under close supervision of your surgeon.
• Until you begin working with a therapist, you can do some exercises at home, such as: quad sets, leg raises, flexion and extension, and calf pumps (see pictures below). You may begin these exercises the day following your surgery.

Pain Control and Medications

You have been given a regional anesthetic block prior to your operation. This will wear off in the evening following your surgery.

1. Pain Medication: Tylenol 1000mg every 8 hours and, unless discussed otherwise, you have been prescribed a narcotic pain medication (Oxycodone 5mg) to take every 4-6 hours as needed.
• DO NOT drive/use any heavy machinery, drink alcohol, make any life-changing or legal decisions (i.e. sign a will), or participate in activities that require a lot of physical skill, as narcotics may change your mental acuity. On rare occasions they may cause confusion or disorientation, we advise you to discontinue this medication should that occur.
• Narcotics can be addictive. Dispose of any excess medication at a police/fire station.
• Take a stool softener (e.g. Colace) while taking narcotic medication, as narcotics may cause constipation.  If this does not help alleviate your constipation, you can try adding miralax or milk of magnesia. Please call our office if this regimen does not alleviate your constipation.
• If you have any questions or concerns about narcotic strength medications, please contact us.
• Journavx (suzetrigine): If Journavx has been prescribed, take it in place of the Oxycodone. Start with a loading dose of 100 mg (two 50 mg tablets), then take one 50 mg tablet twice a day (every 12 hours) for two weeks. If you are not getting adequate pain control with Journavx, you may take Oxycodone instead. Do not take Journavx and Oxycodone at the same time, and avoid grapefruit while taking Journavx.
2. Anti-nausea: Zofran (Ondansetron): Take as prescribed if needed for nausea
3. Anti-Inflammatory: Unless contraindicated due to other health reasons, you have been prescribed a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (Ibuprofen 800mg) for use postoperatively, after 2 weeks. NSAIDs will interfere with the intentional inflammatory cascade of the PRP therapy. If you have no personal history of adverse response to anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), take as prescribed every 8 hours with food to help reduce swelling and pain. Do not take other NSAIDs (Advil, Aleve, etc) with Ibuprofen.

Tylenol and Ibuprofen* (after 2 weeks) are the foundation for your pain control regimen

Example dosing: 1000mg Tylenol then 4 hours later 800mg Ibuprofen then 4 hours later repeat- every 4 hours alternate between Tylenol and Ibuprofen. Oxycodone as needed for breakthrough pain.

*You should not exceed 3,000mg of Tylenol or 3,200mg of Ibuprofen in 24 hours.

Driving

• In general, you can resume driving after 3-5 days after your operation, when you have full control of your arms and legs and you are pain free. Do not drive if you are still on narcotic medication.

Return to Work

• You may return to work as soon as you are comfortable and able to safely weight bear without crutches. This typically will occur 1–4 weeks post-op, depending on your job type. Return to work notes can be obtained at your first post-op appointment.

Follow-up Appointment

• Your first post-operative appointment will be scheduled 10 – 14 days following your surgical procedure. Typically dissolvable sutures are used during surgery, and do not need to be removed. If you do not have a post-operative appointment scheduled when you leave following surgery, please call 513-441-5639 to make the appointment.

****Signs & Symptoms to Immediately Report****

Call 911 and go to the nearest hospital if you are having chest pain or trouble breathing.