shortness of breath after surgery

Shortness of breath post surgery has couple of causes depending on the type of surgery, it is commonly caused by collapse of small part of the lung and you could both prevent and treat that by using the incentive inspirometry, most serious cause is pulmonary embolism (i.e. block of the pulmonary artery by blood clot) it happens after orthopedic or pelvic surgery and it has other characteristics that your treating doctor know for sure. The key point is to tell your doctor about your complaints without exaggeration. Hope you the best