🍽Diet
- Begin with clear liquids and light foods (jello, soup, toast, etc…)
- Progress slowly back to your pre-op diet as tolerated
- Try to avoid taking narcotics on an empty stomach to avoid nausea
🩹Wound Care
- Take good care of your operative dressing and splint. You may loosen the bandage if hand or finger swelling occurs.
- It is normal for the elbow to bleed slightly and swell after surgery.
- If blood soaks through the dressing, do not panic. Reinforce with additional dressings as needed.
- If steri-strips are present, they should remain in place until your first post-operative visit.
- Keep your dressing and splint clean and dry. Cover with waterproof bandages for showering. NO immersion of the arm in water (i.e., bath).
💊Medications
- Pain medication is injected into the wound and elbow during surgery. This will wear off in approximately 8-12 hours from surgery.
- Most patients will require a short period of narcotic pain medication. This should be taken as directed on the bottle.
- Norco (hydrocodone/Tylenol) or Percocet (oxycodone/Tylenol)
- Take 1-2 tablets every 4-6 hours as needed for pain.
- Maximum of 12 pills per 24 hour period.
- Do NOT take additional Tylenol (acetaminophen) while taking these medications. Many products contain this medication (cough meds, cold meds) and can lead to liver damage.
- Common side effects of narcotic pain medications are nausea, drowsiness, and constipation. Use a stool softener (Colace, senokot) or laxative (Miralax) as needed.
- If you are having problems with nausea and vomiting, call the office to see if the medication should be changed or additional medications prescribed.
- Journavx (suzetrigine): If you were prescribed Journavx, take 2 tablets (your one-time starting dose) with a small sip of water before leaving home the morning of surgery. Then take 1 tablet every 12 hours, starting 12 hours after your first dose, as directed. Take the starting dose on an empty stomach, and avoid grapefruit while taking this medication.
- Do not drive a car or operate heavy machinery while taking narcotics.
🏃Activity
- When resting, keep the arm elevated on a pillow to reduce swelling.
- Do NOT actively bend the elbow or twist your palm up and down against resistance during the early healing phase — these motions stress the repair.
- Avoid lifting anything heavier than a coffee cup with the operative arm until cleared by your surgeon.
- No driving until cleared by your medical team.
- You may return to sedentary, one-handed work within a few days if pain is tolerable.
🧮Brace
- You will be placed in a splint at about 90° for the first 5-7 days, then transitioned to a hinged elbow brace.
- The brace range is advanced gradually as directed by your surgeon — typically protecting against full straightening early while allowing protected motion.
- Wear the brace as instructed; do not adjust the settings yourself.
🦴Sling
- A sling is provided to rest and protect the arm. Wear it as directed, removing it only for hygiene and prescribed exercises.
❄Ice Therapy
- Begin immediately after surgery
- Use ice packs every 2 hours for 20 minutes (keep ice off the dressing/splint and protect the skin to avoid frostbite).
💪Exercise
- Begin gentle range-of-motion of the shoulder, wrist, and hand on the first post-operative day, about 2-3 times daily.
- Do NOT perform active elbow bending or resisted forearm rotation until cleared (typically around 6 weeks).
- Formal physical therapy will be discussed at your first post-operative visit and progressed by protocol; strengthening typically begins around 8-12 weeks, with return to heavy lifting and sport around 4-6 months.
⚠When to Call Us
Contact Dr. Wichman at 414-479-7000 if any of the following are present:
- Painful swelling or numbness
- Unrelenting pain
- Redness around incisions
- Fever (above 101.5°F) - It is not uncommon to have a low-grade fever for the first day or two following surgery.
- Color changes in fingers, hand, or arm
- Continuous drainage or bleeding from incisions (a small amount of drainage is expected.)
- Difficulty breathing
- Excessive nausea or vomiting
If you have an emergency after hours or over the weekend, call 414-479-7000 to be connected to the “on-call” physician or physician assistant. Do NOT call the hospital or surgery center.
If you have an emergency that requires immediate attention, call 911 or proceed to the nearest Emergency Room.