Pitting Edema after Knee Surgery 🔨 Swelling is a common complaint in the first few weeks after knee replacement. The swelling is normal and is usually moderate to severe in the 1st week but gradually decreases for the next weeks and months. Mild swelling may persist normally as long as 6 mos in some patients. In the case of the knee after replacement (and other lower extremity surgeries), swelling occurs as a result of the accumulation of excess fluid in the tissue of the knee joint. During surgery, the skin, soft tissues, and bones are cut to perform the surgery. As they take time to heal, there may be excess fluid accumulation in the tissue as a part of the inflammatory chain leading to healing. Lower leg edema can persist even after the skin incision heals as the tissues in the body take a long time to get back to their condition before the surgery. The swelling may get worse at the end of the day with activity. . While the normal swelling after knee replacement surgery gradually improves, at times the swelling may represent a serious pathology such as deep vein thrombosis or infection. The infection of the prosthetic joint may occur in the immediate postoperative period, in a few weeks/months after the surgery or even years after the surgery. Swelling of the knee joint secondary to infection may present with redness and pain. Leg swelling may also be caused as a result of deep vein thrombosis. Deep thrombosis occurs as a result of the formation of a blood clot inside the veins of the legs. Because major surgery such as knee replacement is a significant risk factor for deep vein thrombosis your surgical team will discuss options to lower your risk like aspirin or blood thinners and early/regular ambulation. . Persistent or painful leg swelling, not associated with recent surgery or injury should always be evaluated by a qualified medical professional. #pittingedema #legswelling #kneesurgery