Discharge Instructions for Renal Angiography
You had a procedure called a renal angiography. This imaging test checks the blood vessels in your kidneys. This procedure used a thin, flexible tube called a catheter. The catheter is inserted into one of your blood vessels through a small cut or incision. A dye is injected to make your blood vessels show up better on X-ray images. Then X-ray pictures are taken. Here’s what to do at home following this procedure.
Home care
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Don't drive until the day after your procedure.
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Do only light and easy activities for
2 to 3 days after the procedure. -
Avoid strenuous activity for
2 weeks after the procedure. -
Exercise according to your healthcare provider's recommendations.
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Ask your healthcare provider when you can return to work.
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You can shower the day after your procedure. But don't swim or sit in a bath or hot tub until your incision has healed.
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Take your medicines exactly as directed.
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Unless told otherwise, drink
6 to 8 glasses of water a day. This will prevent fluid loss or dehydration. It will also help flush the X-ray dye out of your body. -
Take your temperature and check your incision for signs of infection every day for a week. Check for redness, swelling, or warmth at the incision site.
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Break the smoking habit. Join a stop-smoking program to improve your chances of success.
Follow-up care
Make a follow-up appointment with your healthcare provider, or as directed.
When to seek medical care
Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following:
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Steady or increasing pain or numbness in your leg
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Fever of
100.4 °F (38 °C) or higher, or as directed by your healthcare provider -
Signs of infection, such as redness, swelling, or warmth at the incision site
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Trouble breathing
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A leg that feels cold or looks blue
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Bleeding, bruising, or lots of swelling where the catheter was inserted
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Blood in your urine
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Black or tarry stools
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Any unusual bleeding
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Having more or less urine than normal (a change in urine output)