Red Flags

If you are concerned about your level of pain, have significant bleeding, or have fever or redness around the surgical site please contact your local doctor as well as us immediately to discuss the matter. We always have appointments available in our clinic for urgent matters.

If something happens during a weekend or after hours then you need to contact the hospital emergency department or the hospital where the surgery was performed (numbers are listed on the bottom of the page) and the staff will contact us so we can attend to the matter accordingly. 

It is very important that if you are concerned that something isn’t right, you must not leave the matter until your next regular visit as these things need to be addressed right away.

The following are some “red flags” that prompt you to seek medical attention urgently:

  • If you notice fluid discharge is leaking outside the dressing
  • If the area surrounding the surgical site becomes inflamed (as in red and hot). Bruising is expected after surgery, which is usually purple in colour to begin which then changes to green then yellow before it disappears
  • If you feel feverish or if you get shakes and shivers
  • Calf pain, chest pain and shortness of breath are signs of a possible blood clot. Notify your doctor immediately if you notice any of these symptoms
  • Dull chest pain or chest pain with breathing
  • Significant bleeding
  • If the pain in your limb becomes increasingly more severe than when you were in the hospital. Occasionally you may do a sudden movement or accidentally hit the limb with an object, which may lead to a sudden increase in pain, however, this should resolve on its own after a short while of rest. Sudden sharp pain attacks especially while asleep are expected to happen. But if it continues or increases it may be cause for cornern.