What Causes Swelling After Surgery?
Swelling after surgery is not only extremely common but also quite often expected. Surgery inherently causes tissue injury, prompting the body’s immune system to take action. This action involves increasing blood flow to the area to deliver white blood cells, nutrients, and other substances to aid in repair. This increased blood flow results in swelling.
You may also swell due to fluid accumulation at the surgical site. If your surgery disrupted or caused changes to your lymphatic system, you may accumulate lymph in the area in addition to the increase in blood flow. Some surgeries may cause you to bleed into the tissue surrounding the surgical area as well, creating a hematoma. A hematoma can also cause swelling.
Certain types of anesthesia can also cause the body to retain fluids, contributing to overall swelling post-surgery. So can immobilization. If you have limited mobility after your surgery, the lack of movement can slow down your circulation as well as your body’s ability to remove excess fluid as efficiently as usual.
Unfortunately, postoperative infections can exacerbate swelling by increasing inflammation as the body attempts to fight off the infection. Signs of infection may also include redness, warmth, fever, and increased pain. It’s important to talk to your doctor if you suspect that you have an infection.
In some cases, surgery increases the risk of blood clots forming in the veins (venous thrombosis), which can impede blood flow and cause swelling, typically in the legs. This is a serious condition that requires immediate medical attention.
Is Swelling Normal After Surgery?
Your body heals itself after surgery by sending an army of white blood cells, healing nutrients like protein, and other substances to the surgical site. These healing materials are delivered via your blood, which means more blood is flowing to the area, which will
cause it to swell. Swelling after surgery is so common and expected that it would be odd if you didn’t experience any swelling after surgery.
When Should You Worry About Swelling?
Swelling is a normal part of the healing process, but there are times when it may indicate a problem. Any swelling that you experience after surgery should get better with time. If your swelling is getting worse instead of better, it’s time to talk to your surgeon or a doctor. Rapid swelling should also be addressed as it can indicate that there is a lot of internal bleeding into the surrounding tissue.
Swelling that’s accompanied by significant redness, warmth, or increasing pain can be a sign of an infection. A fever above 100.4°F (38°C) alongside swelling can also suggest infection. While swelling and redness can be signs of infection, pale, blue, or black skin indicate circulation issues that require immediate medical attention.
Immediate medical attention is also necessary if you experience swelling in your arms or legs after surgery. While this isn’t necessarily an issue if you had surgery on the affected limb, it may indicate a blood clot if you had surgery elsewhere.
If you had surgery near your face or neck and the swelling starts to make breathing or swallowing difficult, get medical help right away. After surgeries involving the head or neck, or surgeries that require prolonged immobilization, swelling accompanied by a severe headache, dizziness, or confusion may indicate dehydration or something more serious. Consult a doctor if you experience these symptoms along with your swelling.
If pressing on the swollen area leaves an indent that stays for a few seconds, known as pitting edema, it could indicate a problem with fluid retention or circulation that needs to be evaluated by a healthcare professional.
Which Surgeries Have Swelling as a Side Effect?
Every surgery causes some swelling, but some procedures can create more intense swelling than others. Orthopedic surgeries like knee and hip surgeries as well as surgeries to repair ligaments typically cause a great deal of swelling.
Surgeries in the abdominal area, including appendectomies, gallbladder removal, hernia repairs, and bariatric surgeries, can cause abdominal swelling. This swelling can affect the entire abdomen and sometimes extends to the surrounding areas.
Cardiovascular surgeries also cause significant swelling. Heart bypass, valve replacement, or surgeries to repair or replace major blood vessels can result in swelling at the surgical site and, occasionally, in the extremities, especially if blood flow is affected.
Surgeries performed on the head also create significant and quite noticeable swelling. Ear, nose, and throat procedures such as tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, or sinus surgery can cause swelling in the throat, nasal passages, or face. The swelling here is quite noticeable as it can temporarily affect breathing, swallowing, and speech. The same is true of maxillofacial surgeries. Tooth extractions, jaw surgeries, and implant procedures can lead to swelling around the mouth, jaws, and face. Swelling is expected after these procedures and can temporarily but significantly impact facial appearance.
Cosmetic procedures like rhinoplasty (nose jobs), breast augmentation or reduction, liposuction, and tummy tucks also typically involve swelling of the operated area. Swelling in cosmetic surgeries can be particularly noticeable due to the focus on aesthetic outcomes.
Surgeries involving the removal of lymph nodes, commonly performed during cancer treatment, can lead to swelling in the affected limb or area of the body due to disruption in lymphatic drainage (lymphedema).
Benefits of Postoperative Telehealth Swelling Evaluations
Swelling is a normal part of the healing process after surgery, but it can also indicate infection or other problems. It’s frightening to see swelling but be unsure whether it’s normal or indicative of an issue. A telehealth visit gives you the opportunity to talk to a healthcare professional and find out if your swelling is expected or cause for concern. If it’s normal swelling you can rest easy. If there is a concern, your telehealth representative can help you get the medical care you need when you need it.