Post Operative Follow-Up Letter

Orthopaedic Surgeon - Post Operative Follow-Up Letter Dear John Smith Thank you for attending your post-operative follow-up appointment with me today. I was pleased to review your recovery progress following your recent knee surgery. **Procedure Performed:** Left Total Knee Arthroplasty **Date of Surgery:** 1 November 2024 **Progress:** Overall, you are recovering well from your surgery. You reported your pain levels are manageable with paracetamol and ibuprofen, generally rating it 3/10 at rest and 5/10 with activity. You are mobilising with the aid of a single crutch and are able to flex your knee to 90 degrees. You have not experienced any fevers, chills, or unusual discharge from your wound. **Physiotherapy:** Your physiotherapy has been progressing positively. You are actively participating in your exercises and your physiotherapist reports good progress with range of motion and strengthening. I encourage you to continue diligently with your prescribed exercises as they are crucial for your ongoing recovery and regaining full function. **Surgical Site Examination:** On examination, your left knee surgical site appears clean and well-healed. There is no redness, swelling, or signs of infection. The incision line is intact, and the staples were removed today as planned. There was no active drainage observed. **Physical Examination:** Your vital signs were stable today: Blood pressure 120/78 mmHg, Heart Rate 72 bpm, Respiratory Rate 16 bpm, Temperature 36.8°C. Your knee demonstrated a good range of motion, with active flexion to 95 degrees and full extension. There was mild tenderness to palpation around the incision site, which is expected at this stage of recovery. No significant effusion was noted. **Imaging:** There was no new imaging performed at this visit, as your pre-operative X-rays showed good implant placement and alignment. **Assessment:** My assessment is that you are making excellent progress in your recovery from the left total knee arthroplasty. There are no immediate concerns regarding wound healing or complications. Your commitment to physiotherapy is clearly contributing to your positive outcome. **Plan:** Regarding your ongoing care, I recommend you continue with your pain medication as needed, and gradually increase your activity levels as tolerated. It is important that you continue to follow your physiotherapist's instructions for exercises. I advise you to avoid heavy lifting or high-impact activities for the next 6 weeks. If you notice any increased redness, swelling, pus-like discharge, or fever, please contact my office immediately. **Follow-up:** A shared decision was made after our discussion. I would like to see you back in my clinic in 6 weeks for a further review of your progress. My secretary will contact you to arrange this appointment. We will also consider a Patient Initiated Follow-Up (PIFU) option for you in the future once your recovery is more established. Yours sincerely, Dr. Thomas Kelly Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon