Why do blood clots form after surgery?

Blood clots belong on the list of questions to settle before an operation, not after.

Who can get one

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is plain about this. Almost anyone can have a DVT/PE.

What to do with that

Do not assume you are exempt. Ask your surgeon's office which clot warning signs to watch for in recovery and who to call if one appears. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a page on venous thromboembolism (blood clots) that is the source to read in full.

What would change the answer

A new symptom during recovery, or a new instruction from the office, outranks this general page. Treat that as the signal to call rather than wait.

The question that usually follows

Clots are one of several recovery topics worth settling together. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a surgical site infection basics page, the MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia a page on conscious sedation for surgical procedures, and the Cleveland Clinic an overview of anesthesia.