23rd February 2024

A 45 year old female attends the emergency department reporting new pain and swelling of her left lower leg.

A 45 year old female attends the emergency department reporting new pain and swelling of her left lower leg. She is four days post minor abdominal hernia surgery yet her mobility has been limited due to discomfort around the surgical site. The leg pain started yesterday, however she increasingly noticed that the left leg was also swollen in comparison to the right. On examination the lower leg is also warm to touch and slightly erythematous. The patient has no other medical conditions, no allergies and is not currently taking any medication.

Select the single, most appropriate management option which will help manage this patient.