Surgical complications can vary widely based on the type of surgery, the skill of the surgeon, the health of the patient, and other factors. However, some surgical complications are relatively common across various types of surgeries. Here’s a list of some of the most common surgical complications:
- Infection: The surgical site can become infected, especially if the wound isn’t kept clean and dry. Symptoms might include redness, swelling, pus, or a fever.
- Bleeding: Some amount of bleeding is expected during and after surgery, but excessive bleeding (hemorrhage) can be dangerous.
- Anesthetic Complications: These can range from minor issues like nausea, vomiting, and dizziness to more severe problems like an allergic reaction to anesthetic drugs, or, rarely, anesthetic awareness (waking up during surgery).
- Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and Pulmonary Embolism (PE): Surgery, especially procedures involving the lower extremities or pelvis, can increase the risk of blood clots in the deep veins. If these clots travel to the lungs, it can result in a life-threatening pulmonary embolism.
- Scarring: While some amount of scarring is expected after surgery, keloids or hypertrophic scars can develop in some individuals.
- Chronic Pain: Some surgeries can lead to persistent pain at the site of the operation or in the surrounding areas.
- Adhesions: These are bands of scar tissue that can form inside the body after surgery, potentially causing pain, obstructions, or other complications.
- Organ Damage: During surgery, nearby organs may accidentally be injured. This is more common in surgeries where the surgical field is limited or the anatomy is distorted.
- Nerve Damage: This can result in numbness, pain, or paralysis of certain areas depending on the nerve affected.
- Postoperative Pneumonia: Reduced mobility after surgery can result in lung complications, including pneumonia.
- Wound Dehiscence: This refers to the surgical wound reopening after the surgery, either partially or entirely.
- Anastomotic Leak: In surgeries where structures like the intestines are sewn together (anastomosed), the connection may leak.
- Urinary complications: This includes urinary retention (inability to urinate after surgery) and urinary tract infections, especially if a catheter was used during/after the procedure.
- Complications from surgical mesh or implants: Over time, implanted devices can erode, become infected, shift position, or cause an allergic reaction.
- Procedural failure: ie continued pregnancy following TOP, fertility following LOT or vasectomy…