Patient Information - Orthopaedic Clinic
General information after minor surgery
This information is for patients who have received treatment at the Orthopaedic Clinic at Ahus.
Bandages
- Change the bandage after three days.
- It is important that you keep your bandage dry and clean. Change if wet, dirty or bled through.
Instructions for changing bandage
- Wash your hands.
- Remove the old bandage.
- Apply new bandage or Band-Aid.
- Make sure to have new, clean bandages at home.
- It is not necessary to change the bandage or Band-Aid if they are not dirty or wet.
For pain-relief
Use prescription-free painkillers like Paracetamol, optionally, in combination with Ibuprofen. The treating physician can prescribe stronger painkillers when needed. Use as prescribed. Pain is common following surgery, but it should decrease gradually with time.
Removing sutures
Your incision site has sutures and should be removed after ………. days by your registered physician or at check-up at the hospital. If surgical wound strips are applied to close your wound, you should leave them on until they fall off. We recommend you cover the incision site from direct sun light the following 6 months to reduce scarring.
Symptoms of an infection
There is always a risk of infection after surgery. Pay attention to the following symptoms and contact your physician or the emergency clinic if suspecting an infection.
The symptoms of infection are:
- Increased pain and soreness around the wound.
- Redness, heat and/or swelling around the wound.
- Throbbing pain occurring after the first few days.
- Yellow, green or grey discharge from the wound.
- Fever or reduced general condition.
Contact your registered physician or your local emergency clinic (phone number 116 117), if you suspect an infection.