If you have a knee replacement or other major surgery coming up, or if you have a high risk of needing one, have you thought about your vein health before heading into surgery?
Undiagnosed and untreated vein issues can delay and interfere with the healing process after an intense surgery, such as a knee replacement.
Our experts at Florida Lakes Vein Center help patients discover optimal vein health and circulation with top-notch treatment options.
Learn how vein disease treatment in Lakewood Ranch makes a great addition to your knee replacement preparation.
How Vein Disease Affects Recovery
Essentially, poor circulation makes for poor healing. If your veins are compromised from chronic venous insufficiency, varicose veins, or blood clots, then your healing process from joint surgery might not go as smoothly as you’d like.
Let’s take a look at how preexisting vein disease affects recovery from a knee replacement.
Increases Inflammation
As the body experiences an injury, like a surgical incision, it responds through a protective process called inflammation. During inflammation, the skin often becomes red, warm to the touch, and swollen.
If damaged veins can’t move blood or fluid where it needs to go, you’ll experience major swelling and inflammation after surgery. Although a protective process, too much inflammation leads to pain, soreness, and compromised healing.
Higher Chance of Blood Clots
When you heal from surgery, you have a higher risk of blood clots, including clots in the deep veins of your legs, also known as deep vein thrombosis. This is partially due to immobility soon after surgery, as well as the surgical trauma your body is trying to heal.
If you have vein disease, you already have a higher risk of blood clots, as impaired veins prevent blood from flowing as it should, leading to accumulation. Blood clots can lead to dangerous complications such as a pulmonary embolism, or a blood clot in the lung.
Slows Wound Healing
With poor circulation, your surgical wound might not get the blood flow, oxygen, and nutrients it needs to properly heal. Vein disease delays the healing of your tissues and increases the risk of post-surgical complications with the wound.
Speak With Our Specialists Before Your Knee Replacement
Treating vein disease before a knee replacement can help your healing process go more smoothly. If you need vein disease treatment in Lakewood Ranch, request a screening with our specialists to prepare for your knee replacement with confidence.
If you have any questions for our team, such as how we treat peripheral venous disease, varicose veins, or lymphedema, give us a call.