Why was my leg shaved?!

Why was my leg shaved?

I went in for an appendectomy operation a week ago, and they shaved the bit where i was cut, which makes sense. But they also shaved a square on my leg for some reason. Why did they do this?

2 weeks ago
im sure it wasnt used for blood or a drip because i had one im my arm, and there is no mark on my leg from the needle, and the heart monitor was on my finger.

2 weeks ago
oh and i did ask a nurse and she didnt know but she said she would find out but she must have forgot.

If the shaved area is on the thigh, they did you a favor.
Here's why: during surgery an electro-cautery device is used to cut and/or coagulate.
There are two types of electro-cautery, bipolar and monopolar. Monopolar is most commonly used.
Since the high level of electrical current can arc, and burn unintended areas in a harmful fashion, there must be a "ground."
With monopolar electrocautery, a "grounding pad" is applied to the thigh and connected to the electrocautery machine to provide a pathway for errant electricity to leave the body rather than burn it.
This pad is EXTREMELY sticky to ensure adherence to the skin. They shaved your leg to make certain the grounding pad was in correct contact with the skin. And it's nice to not have one's leg hair literally ripped out when the pad is removed...