“Andrew Flintoff has been withdrawn from England’s squad for the one-day international in Ireland, the Twenty20s and the ODI series against Australia and the Champions Trophy in South Africa,” the England and Wales Cricket Board said in a statement.
The surgery was advanced by a day to Monday with the aim of getting fit in time for England's three one-day internationals in Bangladesh next March.
Flintoff, 31, retired from Test cricket after England's Ashes triumph over Australia on Sunday, but hopes to continue playing for his country in limited-overs games.
He was scheduled to undergo an exploratory operation on his injured right knee on Tuesday but the operation has now been been brought forward a day.
"The fortunate thing about winning a day early is it brought my operation forward and I will get that done tonight and for me it's all about getting fit again," Flintoff said on Monday.
"The surgeon has got a good idea what he's going to find. We will see when I wake up where I'm at with it. There's a tour of Bangladesh which I desperately want to be involved in, so realistically that will be my first target."
The selectors have not yet decided on Flintoff’s replacement in the squads for the Twenty20s and the ODIs against Australia.
Jonathan Trott has been added to the side for the ODI against Ireland.
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