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Catheter Ablation - Post Operative Instructions
- Activity: Return to normal activity as tolerated. We encourage your to walk 10 minutes every two hours while awake. Refrain from strenuous activities such as high-impact aerobics, jogging, or weightlifting for one week or until you feel comfortable.
- Pain Medication: You may take over the counter acetaminophen (Tylenol®) or ibuprofen (Advil®) as needed for pain. If these medications are not helping and you are taking prescription pain medication, do not drink alcohol or drive during this time.
- Bandages: Remove you bandage(s) the next morning or any time the dressing feels too tight or causes numbness of the extremity. This dressing will become moist as the anesthetic fluid leaves the subcutaneous tissue of your leg. This is a normal and expected process. If bleeding or oozing of the anesthetic fluid occurs through the wrap apply a new ace wrap or gauze over the dressing to secure it.
- Traveling: You may travel at your comfort. We encourage you to walk 10 minutes every 2 hours if you are traveling within 1 week after your procedure.
- Follow up visit: Your physician will see you approximately four weeks after your closure procedure.
It is normal to experience some tenderness and possibly bruising along the areas where local anesthesia was administered. You may have areas beneath your puncture site that are lumpy/bumpy. This will resolve over time. Also some patients may feel a pulling or tightening sensation of the leg where the vein was closed. This will usually resolve within 3-6 weeks. A moist heating pad three times a day for 20 minutes may help with this feeling.
Call the Restoration Vein Care office if you experience any of the following:
- Prolonged tenderness, redness, or warmth along the treated segment
- Moderate to severe pain preventing return to normal activities
- Shortness of breath or chest pain
- A large amount of swelling on the treated limb
- Cramping/pain in your leg(s)
- Fever of 101 degrees or higher