Because you will be sitting or lying down for long periods of time during and after your surgery, your blood will move more slowly through your veins. General anesthesia also causes you blood to move more slowly through your veins. This increases the chance of blood clots forming in your leg veins (this is called deep vein thrombosis, or DVT).
People who have had a prior blood clot have a higher risk of developing another blood clot.
These clots may also form in the area where you just had surgery.
Call your doctor right away if you have any of these symptoms. They are signs of a blood clot in your leg:
Blood clots in the lungs (pulmonary embolus)
Blood clots that form in your legs can travel to your lungs. These clots can cause serious problems with your breathing. This condition is called a pulmonary embolism. Symptoms of a pulmonary embolism are:
A blood clot that travels to your lungs is an emergency. Seek medical help or go to the closest emergency room right away if you have any of the above symptoms.
Before and after surgery, these things will help prevent blood clots from forming:
You may also need to take blood thinners for 3 to 4 weeks after your surgery to lower your risk of blood clots. Your doctor may prescribe one or both of these:
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