After your procedure

After the procedure, you rest in the recovery area while a nurse checks your blood pressure, pulse and the puncture site. Most people stay 1 to 2 hours. After a procedure through the artery in the upper thigh, you may need to lie flat for 2 to 4 hours so the artery can seal. After a procedure through the wrist, a snug band is loosened step by step over about 2 hours, and you can usually sit up right away.

Before you go, you will receive written instructions for your specific procedure, including when to restart any blood thinners. Keep them handy. If they differ from this general guide, follow your written instructions.

1. The first evening
   Rest at home with an adult nearby. Drink plenty of fluids, especially if you received contrast, and eat light meals. Keep the dressing on and dry.
2. Day 1
   Remove the dressing and shower. Walk around the house and do light activities. Still no driving if you had sedation less than 24 hours ago.
3. Days 2 to 3
   Most people return to desk work and normal daily activities. Keep avoiding heavy lifting and hard exercise.
4. Days 5 to 7
   Most people return to exercise and normal lifting. You can soak in a bath, pool or hot tub once the site is fully closed.

Recovery after larger treatments, such as embolization or ablation, can take longer. You may feel tired for a week or more. Your doctor will tell you what to expect.

The puncture is usually 2 to 3 mm and closes on its own without stitches. It is normal to have a small bruise, mild tenderness or a pea-sized lump under the skin for a week or two.

If you went home with a drain or tube, follow the separate care instructions in how to manage your drain.

Air travel is usually fine a few days after most procedures, but ask us first if you have a drain, had a lung biopsy or had a large treatment.

Mild soreness at the puncture site is common for a few days. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is usually enough. Ask us before taking ibuprofen or naproxen, because they can increase bleeding after some procedures. If we prescribed a stronger pain medicine, take it only as directed, and do not drive while taking it.

After an embolization, it is common to have cramping or aching, low-grade fever below 101°F, nausea and tiredness for 3 to 7 days. This is called post-embolization syndrome, and it is a sign that the treated tissue is responding. It improves a little every day. Treatments that heat or freeze tissue can cause similar flu-like feelings.

The most common calls I get are about a bruise at the puncture site, and almost all of them are normal. What I want you to watch for is change: a lump that keeps growing, pain that gets worse instead of better after the first few days, or a fever that climbs. When in doubt, call. I would rather hear from you early.

Fabio Komlos, MD, interventional radiologist · About Dr. Fabio Komlos