Surgical Procedure
UniSpacer Knee System
Two Hours Before Surgery
You will be asked to arrive approximately 90 minutes before your time of surgery to make preparations for your operation. Refer to your hospital booklet for specific instructions concerning the admissions process.
Upon arrival at the preoperative area, you will be asked to change into a hospital gown. Any friends or family who accompany you will be allowed to stay with you during this period of time.
30 Minutes Before Surgery
Approximately one-half hour before the time of your surgery, you will be transferred to the “holding area” for final preparation. An intravenous line (IV) may be placed in your hand or arm. The nurse may use a local anesthetic to reduce the discomfort of IV placement. You will receive medications and fluids through this IV. The IV will stay in until you are able to drink liquids without any problems and you no longer need it for medications.
The skin around your knee may need to be shaved in preparation for the surgery.
In the “holding area” the nurses will ask you additional questions related to your health in preparation for surgery. Many of the questions will be asked multiple times and will appear redundant. Please be patient. It is important to double and triple check certain points to insure the highest quality of care.
Your anesthesiologist will meet with you and may repeat several questions related to your general health and history of anesthesia. If you have any concerns or questions about anesthesia, you may certainly voice them at this time.
Your surgeon will also meet with you in the holding area and answer any last minute questions you may have.
You may be given a medication to help you relax and reduce any anxieties you may have.
The nursing staff will take your temperature, blood pressure, pulse, and respiration. You may be instructed on certain breathing techniques to use when you wake up after surgery. The nurses may put a special type of stocking on the leg that will not be operated on.
Right Before Surgery
Your family and friends will be given instructions about where to wait. You will then be taken to the operating room.
In the Operating Room
When you arrive in the operating room there will be several people to assist you during this stage of your surgery. A nurse will be in scrubs, a hat, and a mask. He or she will probably be one of the people that come and take you from the waiting area to the operating room.
The anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist will be administrating your anesthesia during the procedure. They will be positioned near your head during the operation. They will also be wearing scrubs, hats, and masks.
You will be transferred from your bed to the operating room table. The room will probably be very cold but you will be given blankets to keep you warm.
You will be given either a general anesthesia, which makes you unconscious, or a regional anesthesia to numb the area to be operated on. Patients who receive regional anesthesia may also be given sedatives to put them to sleep. The decision as to which type of anesthesia to use is made by the surgeon and the anesthesiologist and is based on a variety of factors, including your health. In either case, you should not feel any pain during surgery. Once you are anesthetized, your body and legs will be positioned in the proper place to optimize the surgical exposure.
To control blood flow, the surgeon may place a tourniquet on your upper thigh to restrict the blood flow to the knee during the procedure.
A nurse will then prep your leg with a special solution that disinfects and cleans the area around the incision site. Once the area has been prepped, the surgeon and surgical assistant will then drape your leg and body with special sheets that are sterile and liquid resistant.
Immediately After Surgery
You will be taken to the recovery room immediately after your surgery. In the recovery room, another team of nurses will take care of you. An oxygen mask may be placed on your face to aid your breathing. Your doctor may order x-rays of your knee.
You will probably be in the recovery room 60 to 90 minutes depending on how long it takes you to awaken from anesthesia. The nurse will provide you with any pain medication you may need while you are in the recovery room. Your surgeon will speak to your family about how well the surgery went for you.
When your blood pressure, temperature, pulse, and respiration return to normal, you will be moved to a regular hospital room, sometimes in an area with other orthopedic patients and specially trained nurses. Here, several people will be involved in your care, including a nurse and possibly a respiratory therapist to show you some breathing exercises.
Once you are in your room, your nurse and his or her assistants will check on you frequently. They will help you find the most comfortable position and will give a button to push if you need assistance from the staff. Please do not try to get out of bed yourself. Your pulse and blood pressure will be monitored frequently. Your surgical team will be visiting you on a regular basis.
Pain Medication
You can expect some pain and discomfort after surgery. Your doctor will order pain medication for you. Let the nurse know if you are having any discomfort. Please take the pain medication when you need it because it will help you rest comfortably and help you perform your physical therapy more effectively. Both rest and physical therapy are important for your recovery.
Intravenous Lines
You will have an intravenous line in your arm or hand so that you may receive IV fluids, antibiotics, and possibly pain medications.
Wound Care
When you awaken from anesthesia, you will find a large bulky dressing on your leg. When the large bulky dressing is removed, a smaller one will be applied so you will be able to shower. You will have an incision on the front of your knee approximately 2-3 inches long. You may have a knee brace on your leg after surgery. Your physician will instruct you as to how long you will need to use this.
Medications
Your physician may ask you to take medication during your recovery to help prevent blood clots. You will also receive antibiotics through your IV while you are in the hospital.
TED Hose
You will be asked to wear white elastic stockings (TED Hose) on your legs following surgery. The purpose of these stockings is to help prevent blood clots from forming in your legs. You should continue to wear these stockings during your hospitalization and also after discharge, until your doctor tells you that you can remove them. You may remove them daily for bathing only and then please reapply them.
Temperature
A low grade fever (up to 101 degrees) may be present for up to one week. This elevation in temperature is usually due either to the breakdown of red blood cells in your swollen knee or to phlegm collected in your lungs.
Exercises and Activity
You should be assisted in getting out of bed either on the day of surgery or the first day after surgery. Your postoperative exercise program will be tailored to your needs by your physician. You will be given specific instructions by your physician as to what type of physical therapy you may need.
The Next Day
Physical Therapists will visit you to start your rehabilitation program. Every doctor uses a different rehabilitation protocol, but typically you’ll be standing up and walking the day after surgery.
Physical therapy is very important for your recovery. It helps you regain the activities of daily living and speeds your recovery.
During your physical therapy, you may be asked to perform the exercises you learned before surgery along with new exercises. Initially, you may use crutches to aid your stability in walking.
Your progress and success are a direct result of your participation in your therapy. Usually by four to six weeks, most people are walking with no or little aid.
The Recovery Period
Most patients have some temporary pain in the knee because the surrounding muscles are weak from inactivity and the tissues are healing. Surgical soreness and swelling may take several weeks to subside; however, within a few months you should be able to return to your normal activities.
