Knee Swelling Under Use of Compression Stockings After Outpatient Surgery

The investigators are planing on investigate the effect of compression stockings on postsurgical swelling and formation of edema. For this purpose the investigators devide outpatients who have undergone knee surgery to two different clinical study groups. Group A receives a common compression bandage after surgery to the first postsurgical day and receives compression stockings afterwards for the following 10 days, while Group B only receives a common compression bandage to the first postsurgical day. Group A will be instructed to wear compression stockings for 24 hours on the first two postsurgical day, afterwards at least for 8 hours a day.

Preoperatively the investigators are going to determine the volume and circumference of both legs using the Bodytronic 600 by Bauerfeind. Subsequently the measurement will be repeated on the first, forth and tenth postsurgical day. The investigators are going to measure the range of motion, also the patients of both groups will be asked to mark pain and tension on a visual analog scale and write down the amount of time they have been lying, sitting and standing each day. Group A will document the amount of time for how long they were wearing compression stockings each day.

Inclusion criteria

• age > 18 years
• signed release form

Exclusion criteria

• deep vein thrombosis
• swelling caused by cardiac, venous or endocrine genesis
• dysfunction of the lymphatic system
• dysfunction of kidney or liver
• Use of water withholding medication
• massive adiposity
• cachexia
• epilepsy