Femoral-Tibial Bypass Surgery: What to Expect at Home
Your Recovery
Femoral-tibial bypass is surgery to bypass diseased blood vessels in the lower leg or foot. Your doctor used something called a graft to make the blood go around (bypass) the blocked part of your blood vessel.
You will have some pain from the cuts (incisions) the doctor made. The pain usually gets better after about 1 week. Your doctor will give you pain medicine. You can expect your leg to be swollen at first. This is a normal part of recovery and may last 2 or 3 months.
You may need to stay in the hospital for 3 to 5 days.
You will need to take it easy for 2 to 6 weeks at home. It may take 6 to 12 weeks to fully recover.
You will need to have regular checkups with your doctor to make sure the graft is working.
This care sheet gives you a general idea about how long it will take for you to recover. But each person recovers at a different pace. Follow the steps below to get better as quickly as possible.
How can you care for yourself at home?
Activity
- Rest when you feel tired. Getting enough sleep will help you recover.
- Try to walk each day or as often as your doctor tells you. Start by walking a little more than you did the day before. Bit by bit, increase the amount you walk. Walking boosts blood flow and helps prevent pneumonia and constipation.
- Avoid strenuous activities, such as bicycle riding, jogging, weight lifting, or aerobic exercise. Your doctor will tell you when it's okay to do strenuous activity.
- Ask your doctor when you can drive again.
- You will probably need to take 2 to 6 weeks off from work. It depends on the type of work you do and how you feel.
- You may shower, if your doctor okays it. Do not take a bath for the first 2 weeks, or until your doctor tells you it is okay.
Diet
- You can eat your normal diet. If your stomach is upset, try bland, low-fat foods like plain rice, broiled chicken, toast, and yogurt.
- Drink plenty of fluids (unless your doctor tells you not to).
- You may notice that your bowel movements are not regular right after your surgery. This is common. You may want to take a fibre supplement every day. If you have not had a bowel movement after a couple of days, ask your doctor about taking a mild laxative.
Medicines
- Your doctor will tell you if and when you can restart your medicines. He or she will also give you instructions about taking any new medicines.
- If you stopped taking aspirin or some other blood thinner, your doctor will tell you when to start taking it again.
- Take your medicines exactly as prescribed. Call your doctor or nurse advice line if you think you are having a problem with your medicine.
- Your doctor may prescribe a blood thinner, such as aspirin, when you go home. This helps prevent blood clots.
- Take pain medicines exactly as directed.
- If the doctor gave you a prescription medicine for pain, take it as prescribed.
- If you are not taking a prescription pain medicine, ask your doctor if you can take an over-the-counter medicine.
- If you think your pain medicine is making you sick to your stomach:
- Take your medicine after meals (unless your doctor has told you not to).
- Ask your doctor for a different pain medicine.
- If your doctor prescribed antibiotics, take them as directed. Do not stop taking them just because you feel better. You need to take the full course of antibiotics.
Incision care
- If you have bandages on the incisions, follow your doctor's instructions about changing them.
- If you have strips of tape on the cut (incision) the doctor made, leave the tape on for a week or until it falls off.
- Wash the area daily with water, and pat it dry. Don't use hydrogen peroxide or alcohol, which can slow healing. You may cover the area with a gauze bandage if it weeps or rubs against clothing. Change the bandage every day.
Elevation
- Prop up your leg on a pillow anytime you sit or lie down during the next 3 days. Try to keep it above the level of your heart. This will help reduce swelling.
Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety. Be sure to make and go to all appointments, and call your doctor or nurse advice line (811 in most provinces and territories) if you are having problems. It's also a good idea to know your test results and keep a list of the medicines you take.
When should you call for help?
Call 911 anytime you think you may need emergency care. For example, call if:
- You passed out (lost consciousness).
- You have trouble breathing.
Call your doctor or nurse advice line now or seek immediate medical care if:
- You have severe pain in your leg, or it becomes cold, pale, blue, tingly, or numb.
- You have pain that does not get better after you take pain medicine.
- You have loose stitches, or your incisions come open.
- You are bleeding a lot from the incisions.
- You have signs of infection, such as:
- Increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness.
- Red streaks leading from the incision.
- Pus draining from the incision.
- A fever.
- You are sick to your stomach or cannot keep fluids down.
Watch closely for any changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor or nurse advice line if:
- You do not get better as expected.
Where can you learn more?
Go to https://www.healthwise.net/patientEd
Enter H742 in the search box to learn more about "Femoral-Tibial Bypass Surgery: What to Expect at Home".
Current as of: November 30, 2022
