By following your health team’s instructions, you’ll minimize the potential for blood clots during the first several weeks of your recovery.

Warning signs of possible blood clots in your leg include:

• Increasing pain in your calf, ankle or foot
• Tenderness or redness above or below your knee or ankle
• Increasing swelling in your calf, ankle or foot

Blood clots

Notify your doctor immediately if you have any of the warning signs of possible blood clots. Warning signs of blood clots in your hand, arm or leg include:

• Increasing pain in your hand, arm or leg
• Tenderness or redness above or below your elbow or shoulder or in your hand
• Increasing swelling in your calf, ankle or foot
• Increasing swelling in your arm or hand

 

Warning signs that a blood clot has traveled to your lung include:

• Sudden increased shortness of breath
• Sudden onset of chest pain
• Localized chest pain with coughing

It’s important that you notify your doctor immediately if you develop any warning signs of blood clots.

 

Infection

Notify your physician or other care provider immediately if you develop any of the following warning signs of a possible hand infection.

Infection warning signs

• Persistent fever (higher than 100 degrees)
• Shaking chills
• Increasing redness, tenderness, swelling of the wound
• Drainage from the wound
• Drainage from the wound
• Increasing joint pain with both activity and rest