After having surgery for deep vein thrombosis, why does the leg swell?

DVT: The DVT resulted in blockages to the blood flow in your entire venous system on the affected leg so that blood is unable to flow back towards the heart properly. This is causing fluid to accumulate in the lower leg. Talk with your clinicians about proper measures to keep the swelling down.

Bad valves: One of the things that can occur following a DVT is called post-thrombotic syndrome. Pts is when some of the valves in the deep vein are destroyed and then allow the blood to flow the wrong direction in the vein. You will want to see a physician well versed in the treatment of venous disease for evaluation of pts as many docs and ultrasound techs will miss this complication of dvt.

Valve damage: It probably wasn't the surgery that caused the swelling but was damage done to the valves by the dvt, as dr. Hansen mentioned. Pts consists of pain and swelling after a DVT and is often accompanied by brownish skin discoloration. Pts can sometimes end with venous leg ulceration. Wearing knee high 30-40 mmhg graduated compression stockings has been shown to decrease the risk of pts after a dvt.