Pre-Operative
- As soon as your surgery has been scheduled, you will receive a personal health history questionnaire through your MyChart account. You can access your MyChart account here: orthovirginia.com/mychart. If you have any questions, please call the pre-op nurse at 703-385-3985, Monday – Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
- Pre-operative testing (Labwork, EKG, medical clearance) must be completed within 30 days prior to your scheduled surgery and the results must be received by the surgery center no later then 72 hours prior to your scheduled surgery.
- Please FAX your pre-op test results to the Surgery Center Pre-Op Department at 703-810-5436.
- You will NOT be permitted to drive after your surgery. You must have a responsible adult accompany you during your entire visit at the surgery center and he/she must drive you home after you have been discharged. Someone MUST be available to stay with you for the first 24 hours after discharge.
- If you are under 18 years of age, a parent or legal guardian MUST accompany you and he/she will not be allowed to leave the surgery center while you are under our care.
- Do NOT take aspirin or anti-inflammatory drugs (i.e. Motrin, Aleve, Advil) 2 weeks prior to surgery and 2 weeks after surgery, unless otherwise instructed by your physician.
24 Hours Before Surgery
- Do NOT eat or drink after midnight prior to surgery – this includes candy, lozenges, mints and gum.
- Do NOT smoke for at least 24 hours prior to surgery. It is best to avoid smoking 1 week prior to surgery and 2 weeks following surgery.
- A staff member will call you the day before your surgery to confirm your assigned arrival time to the surgery center.
- If you have not received a confirmation call by 3:00 PM on the day prior to your surgery, please contact the appropriate surgery center at the telephone number listed at the top of this page.
Morning of Surgery
- Take all medications as prescribed with only a SIP of water (unless otherwise instructed).
- Bathe as usual. Avoid heavy lotions or moisturizers. You may brush your teeth.
- Do NOT wear make-up, body piercings, jewelry, or hair spray. Leave all valuables at home. OrthoVirginia will not be held responsible for any valuables that you bring to the surgery center on the day of your surgery.
- Wear comfortable clothing, elastic waist shorts (no zipper), sports bra, and shoes that are easy to remove. For shoulder and arm surgery patients, bring an XL button-down shirt to go over your sling.
- Bring completed registration paperwork, driver’s license, insurance cards, medication list and co-pay.
Congratulations! You have just completed the surgical phase and entered the recovery/ rehabilitation phase of your operative experience. In order to achieve the best possible result, active patient participation is extremely important during this period of time. The following instructions are designed to help you achieve the best possible outcome following your surgery.
Activity
You will be told if you can bear weight and if so, how much. Crutches should be used to assist ambulation during the immediate post-operative period. You should continue using your crutches until instructed otherwise by your physician. In general, you may discontinue using your crutches when you can perform 10 straight leg raises without difficulty and you can ambulate without a limp. Your brace is to be worn AT ALL TIMES WHEN WEIGHT BEARING during the FIRST 6 WEEKS after surgery. A CPM (constant passive motion) machine will be used for approximately one week after surgery. You should spend a total of 8-10 hours/day in the CPM with the time divided into several 2-3 hour sessions.
Dressing/Brace/Cold Therapy
You will have a large dressing covering your surgical sites when you are discharged from the hospital. You may not remove this dressing. A small amount of bloody drainage on the dressing is not unusual and this can be covered with a clean 4×4 gauze and ACE wrap.
Additionally, you will have a brace and cold therapy unit in place on the outside of your dressing. The brace should be locked in extension at all times except when you are in the CPM machine and when you are performing your home exercise program. You may remove the brace while using the CPM machine, however you must wear the brace when performing the home exercise program (you must unlock the brace in order to do this).
Bathing/Showering
You may not get your surgical incisions wet during the first week after surgery. During the period of time that you must keep your incisions dry, you will need to place a large plastic bag or Saran Wrap over the operative sites and firmly secure the edges with tape.
Cold Therapy Unit
A cold therapy unit or ice should be applied to the outside of your dressing at all times during the first 48 hours after surgery, and frequently during the first week following surgery. After the first week, you may consider using your cold therapy unit or ice after rehabilitation sessions or when swelling occurs. Do not apply ice directly to the skin.
Post-Operative Swelling
Post-operative swelling can significantly slow your recovery time from surgery. Swelling is markedly worsened when you stand or walk for a prolonged period of time. For that reason, please limit standing and/or walking to 15-20 minutes out of every hour. This will help to minimize swelling and speed your recovery. If you experience significant swelling, elevate your leg and apply your cold therapy unit or ice.
Exercise
You should perform your initial post-operative exercises exactly as instructed. Don’t start anything new, and don’t leave anything out. This is extremely important! Failure to perform these exercises may result in stiffness, atrophy, and ultimately a poor outcome. On the other hand, you could potentially cause damage if you do too much too soon. Please perform your exercises exactly as you were instructed!
You may begin the following home exercises the day after surgery. These should be performed 5-10 times every hour when you are not in the CPM machine or sleeping.
- Quad sets: push the back of your knee into the bed and hold for a count of 10.
- Straight leg raises: lift leg in knee brace off the bed for a count of 10.
- Hamstring sets: push heel into bed for count of 10.
- Heel slides: sit on a firm surface with your leg straight in front of you. Slowly slide the heel of your operative leg toward your buttock by pulling your knee to your chest when you slide.
- Ankle pumps: push back of ankle up and down multiple times to encourage blood flow.
Medications
Your post-operative regimen consists of several medications. You will be told the medications and their dosing.
Pain Medication Tips
- Do not drive while taking pain medications.
- Do not drink alcoholic beverages while taking pain medications.
- Pain medication should be taken with food as this will help prevent any stomach upset.
- Often pain medications will cause constipation. Eat high fiber foods and increase your fluid intake if possible. To alleviate constipation, purchase a stool softener at any pharmacy and follow the recommended directions on the bottle.
You should resume taking your normally prescribed medications unless otherwise directed.
Special Instructions
Please contact my office for further instruction if you develop fevers greater than 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit, persistent drainage from your surgical incisions, intractable pain, or persistent numbness/tingling in your leg.
Follow-Up Appointment
Your follow-up appointment will be scheduled when your surgery is scheduled. If you need to verify or change your post-op appointment, please call 703-277-2663.
Please feel free to contact my office at anytime if you have any questions or concerns regarding your post-operative course.
You will receive your customized post-op instructions after your surgery.
Congratulations! You have just completed the surgical phase and entered the recovery/ rehabilitation phase of your operative experience. In order to achieve the best possible result, active patient participation is extremely important during this period of time. The following instructions are designed to help you achieve the best possible outcome following your surgery.
Activity
You will be placed in a sling after surgery. The sling is generally used for the first 4 – 6 weeks following your procedure. This should be worn at all times initially. You may type on a keyboard or write on a desk as soon as you feel comfortable, as long as you remain in your sling. You may remove your sling for physical therapy and bathing/hygiene. Absolutely NO LIFTING, PUSHING, PULLING, or OVERHEAD ACTIVITY is permitted until allowed by your physician.
Dressing/Brace/Cold Therapy
You will have a large dressing covering your surgical sites when you are discharged from the hospital. You may remove this dressing on the third day following your surgery. A small amount of bloody drainage on the dressing is not unusual. If your incisions continue to drain small amounts, cover with a clean 4×4 gauze and tape. If no drainage is seen, you may cover your incisions with band-aids.
Additionally, you may have a cold therapy unit in place on the outside of your dressing. Please refer to instructions below regarding treatment with your cold therapy unit.
Bathing/Showering
You may not get your surgical incisions wet during the first 3 days after surgery. You will have a waterproof dressing. During this period of time that you must keep your incisions dry, you will need to place a large plastic bag or Saran Wrap over the operative sites and firmly secure the edges with tape. If your incisions accidentally get wet during the first 3 days dry them quickly and notify your physician. Avoid hot tubs, pools, lakes or ponds until given permission by the physician.
Cold Therapy Unit
A cold therapy unit or ice should be applied to the outside of your dressing at all times during the first 48 hours after surgery, and frequently during the first week following surgery. After the first week, you may consider using your cold therapy unit or ice after rehabilitation sessions or when swelling occurs. Do not apply ice directly to the skin.
Post-Operative Swelling
Post-operative swelling can significantly slow your recovery time from surgery. If you experience significant swelling, elevate your arm and apply your cold therapy unit or ice as previously instructed.
Exercise
You should perform your initial post-operative exercises exactly as instructed. Don’t start anything new, and don’t leave anything out. This is extremely important! Failure to perform these exercises may result in stiffness, atrophy, and ultimately a poor outcome. On the other hand, you could potentially cause damage if you do too much too soon. Please perform your exercises exactly as instructed! In general, you will begin exercises with a physical therapist during the second week following your surgery.
Medications
Your post-operative regimen consists of several medications. You will be told the medications and their doses.
Pain Medication Tips
- Do not drive while taking pain medications.
- Do not drink alcoholic beverages while taking pain medications.
- Pain medication should be taken with food as this will help prevent any stomach upset.
- Often pain medications will cause constipation. Eat high fiber foods and increase your fluid intake if possible. To alleviate constipation, purchase a stool softener at any pharmacy and follow the recommended directions on the bottle.
You should resume taking your normally prescribed medications unless otherwise directed.
Special Instructions
Please contact my office for further instruction if you develop fevers greater than 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit, persistent drainage from your surgical incisions, intractable pain, or persistent numbness/tingling in your arm.
Follow-Up Appointment
Your follow-up appointment will be scheduled when your surgery is scheduled. If you need to verify or change your post-op appointment, please call 703-277-2663.
Please feel free to contact my office at anytime if you have any questions or concerns regarding your post-operative course.
Congratulations! You have just completed the surgical phase and entered the recovery/ rehabilitation phase of your operative experience. In order to achieve the best possible result, active patient participation is extremely important during this period of time. The following instructions are designed to help you achieve the best possible outcome following your surgery.
Activity
You will be told if you can bear weight and if so, how much.
Crutches may be used to assist ambulation during the immediate post-operative period.
Dressing
You will have a large water-proof dressing covering your surgical sites when you are discharged from the hospital. You may shower with this dressing in place. A small amount of bloody drainage on the dressing is not unusual. You may remove your dressing on the third day following your surgery; do not remove the steri-strips directly covering your incisions. Once you have removed your dressing, you may cover your incisions with Band-aids. Avoid soaking in hot tubs, pools, lakes or ponds as this may increase your chance of post operative infection.
Bathing/Showering
You may get your surgical incisions wet once your dressing has been removed on the third day following your surgery. You may shower and gently wash your incisions with soap and water; do not soak in a tub, hot tub, pool, lake or pond as this may increase your chance of post-operative infection.
Cold Therapy Unit/Ice
Ice should be applied to the outside of your dressing frequently during the first 48 hours after surgery, and during the first week following surgery. After the first week, you may consider ice after rehabilitation sessions or when swelling occurs. Do not apply ice directly to the skin.
Exercise
You may begin the following home exercises the day after surgery. These should be performed several times per day when you are not sleeping.
- Hamstring sets: push heel into bed for count of 10.
- Heel slides: sit on a firm surface with your leg straight in front of you. Slowly slide the heel of you operative leg toward your buttock by pulling your knee to your chest when you slide.
- Prone lying: lay on your stomach for a combined total of two hours per day, divided into multiple sessions. This will help stretch the front portion of your hip joint.
You may also utilize a stationary bike with no resistance to encourage early motion in your hip joint. Begin with small sessions of approximately 10 minutes at a time twice daily.
If a constant passive motion (CPM) device was recommended, please begin using it the morning following surgery. You should set the initial parameters for 0 – 40 degrees of motion. Then advance by 10 degrees per day until you have reached 0 – 90 degrees. DO NOT exceed 90 degrees. You may discontinue the CPM once you have started physical therapy.
Medications
Your post-operative regimen consists of several medications. You will be told the medications and their dosing.
Pain Medication Tips
- Do not drive while taking pain medications.
- Do not drink alcoholic beverages while taking pain medications.
- Pain medication should be taken with food as this will help prevent any stomach upset.
- Often pain medications will cause constipation. Eat high fiber foods and increase your fluid intake if possible. To alleviate constipation, purchase a stool softener at any pharmacy and follow the recommended directions on the bottle.
You should resume taking your normally prescribed medications unless otherwise directed.
Special Instructions
Please contact my office for further instruction if you develop fevers greater than 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit, persistent drainage from your surgical incisions, intractable pain, or persistent numbness/tingling in your leg.
Follow-Up Appointment
Your follow-up appointment will be scheduled when your surgery is scheduled. If you need to verify or change your post-op appointment, please call 703-277-2663.
You may schedule physical therapy to begin approximately one week following your surgery.
Please feel free to contact my office at anytime if you have any questions or concerns regarding your post-operative course.
Congratulations! You have just completed the surgical phase and entered the recovery/ rehabilitation phase of your operative experience. In order to achieve the best possible result, active patient participation is extremely important during this period of time. The following instructions are designed to help you achieve the best possible outcome following your surgery.
Activity
You will be told if you can bear weight and if so, how much.
Crutches may be used to assist ambulation during the immediate post-operative period. You may discontinue using crutches when comfort permits.
Dressing
You will have a large dressing covering your surgical sites when you are discharged from the hospital. A small amount of bloody drainage on the dressing is not unusual and this can be covered with a clean 4×4 gauze and ACE wrap. You may remove your dressing on the third day following your surgery; do not remove the steri-strips directly covering your incisions. Once you have removed your dressing, you may cover your incisions with Band-aids.
Bathing/Showering
You may get your surgical incisions wet once your dressing has been removed on the third day following your surgery. You may shower and gently wash your incisions with soap and water; do not soak in a tub, hot tub, or pool as this may increase your chance of post-operative infection. During the period of time that you must keep your incisions dry, you will need to place a large plastic bag or Saran Wrap over the operative sites and firmly secure the edges with tape. Avoid soaking in hot tub, pool, lake or pond as this may increase your chance of possible infection.
Cold Therapy Unit/Ice
A cold therapy unit or ice should be applied to the outside of your dressing at all times during the first 48 hours after surgery, and frequently during the first week following surgery. After the first week, you may consider using your cold therapy unit or ice after rehabilitation sessions or when swelling occurs. Do not apply ice directly to the skin.
Post-Operative Swelling
Post-operative swelling can significantly slow your recovery time from surgery. Swelling is markedly worsened when you stand or walk for a prolonged period of time. For that reason, please limit standing and/or walking if swelling occurs. In addition, elevate your leg and apply your cold therapy unit or ice.
Exercise
You may begin the following home exercises the day after surgery. These should be performed 5-10 times every hour when you are not sleeping.
- Quad sets: push the back of your knee into the bed and hold for a count of 10.
- Straight leg raises: lift leg off the bed for a count of 10.
- Hamstring sets: push heel into bed for count of 10.
- Heel slides: sit on a firm surface with your leg straight in front of you. Slowly slide the heel of your operative leg toward your buttock by pulling your knee to your chest when you slide.
- Ankle pumps: push back of ankle up and down multiple times to encourage blood flow.
Medications
Your post-operative regimen consists of several medications. You will be told the medications and their dosing.
Pain Medication Tips:
- Do not drive while taking pain medications.
- Do not drink alcoholic beverages while taking pain medications.
- Pain medication should be taken with food as this will help prevent any stomach upset.
- Often pain medications will cause constipation. Eat high fiber foods and increase your fluid intake if possible. To alleviate constipation, purchase a stool softener at any pharmacy and follow the recommended directions on the bottle.
You should resume taking your normally prescribed medications unless otherwise directed.
Special Instructions
Please contact my office for further instruction if you develop fevers greater than 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit, persistent drainage from your surgical incisions, intractable pain, or persistent numbness/tingling in your leg.
Follow-Up Appointment
Your follow-up appointment will be scheduled when your surgery is scheduled. If you need to verify or change your post-op appointment, please call 703-277-2663.
Please feel free to contact my office at anytime if you have any questions or concerns regarding your post-operative course.
Congratulations! You have just completed the surgical phase and entered the recovery/ rehabilitation phase of your operative experience. In order to achieve the best possible result, active patient participation is extremely important during this period of time. The following instructions are designed to help you achieve the best possible outcome following your surgery.
Activity
You will be placed in a sling after surgery. The sling is generally used for the first 4 – 6 weeks following your procedure. This should be worn at all times initially. You may type on a keyboard or write on a desk as soon as you feel comfortable, as long as you remain in your sling. You may remove your sling for physical therapy and bathing/hygiene. Absolutely NO LIFTING, PUSHING, PULLING, or OVERHEAD ACTIVITY is permitted until allowed by your physician.
Dressing/Cold Therapy
You will have a large dressing covering your surgical sites when you are discharged from the hospital. You may remove this dressing on the third day following your surgery. A small amount of bloody drainage on the dressing is not unusual. If your incisions continue to drain small amounts, cover with a clean 4×4 gauze and tape. If no drainage is seen, you may cover your incisions with band-aids.
Additionally, you may have a cold therapy unit in place on the outside of your dressing. Please refer to instructions below regarding treatment with your cold therapy unit.
Bathing/Showering
You may not get your surgical incisions wet during the first 3 days after surgery. You will have a waterproof dressing in place following surgery. This may be removed o the fourth day following surgery. Your incisions may get wet in the shower on the fourth day following surgery. If your incisions accidentally get wet during the first 3 days, dry them quickly and notify your physician.
Cold Therapy Unit
A cold therapy unit or ice should be applied to the outside of your dressing at all times during the first 48 hours after surgery, and frequently during the first week following surgery. After the first week, you may consider using your cold therapy unit or ice after rehabilitation sessions or when swelling occurs. Do not apply ice directly to the skin.
Post-Operative Swelling
Post-operative swelling can significantly slow your recovery time from surgery. If you experience significant swelling, elevate your arm and apply your cold therapy unit or ice as previously instructed.
Exercise
You should perform your initial post-operative exercises exactly as instructed. Don’t start anything new, and don’t leave anything out. This is extremely important! Failure to perform these exercises may result in stiffness, atrophy, and ultimately a poor outcome. On the other hand, you could potentially cause damage if you do too much too soon. Please perform your exercises exactly as instructed!
In general, you will begin exercises with a physical therapist during the second week following your surgery.
Medications
Your post-operative regimen consists of several medications. You will be told the medications and their dosing.
Pain Medication Tips
- Do not drive while taking pain medications.
- Do not drink alcoholic beverages while taking pain medications.
- Pain medication should be taken with food as this will help prevent any stomach upset.
- Often pain medications will cause constipation. Eat high fiber foods and increase your fluid intake if possible. To alleviate constipation, purchase a stool softener at any pharmacy and follow the recommended directions on the bottle.
You should resume taking your normally prescribed medications unless otherwise directed.
Special Instructions
Please contact my office for further instruction if you develop fevers greater than 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit, persistent drainage from your surgical incisions, intractable pain, or persistent numbness/tingling in your arm.
Follow-Up Appointment
Your follow-up appointment will be scheduled when your surgery is scheduled.
If you need to verify or change your post-op appointment, please call 703-273-2663.
Please feel free to contact my office at anytime if you have any questions or concerns regarding your post-operative course.