How Should I Care for a Leg Incision?
Frequently, the heart surgeon uses the superficial vein (the saphenous vein) from your leg to bypass some of the deceased arteries on your heart. Removal of this vein requires a long incision (or multiple short incisions with the endoscopic technique). Some patients develop temporary swelling of the leg that is used for this incision. This swelling can extend from the ankle to the thigh and is often self-limited. It resolves over 2-3 months. Great care to minimize this swelling should be taken as the swelling can interfere with the proper wound healing. The treatment for this swelling is elevation of the affected leg above the level of the heart, when the patient is not walking. TED hose can also help to limit the swelling during daytime hours when standing is more frequent. Patients with no leg swelling and, who are ambulatory, no longer need wear the TED hose after 3-4 weeks.
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