Incisional Hernias - Risks & Complications
The risks and complications include those related to general anesthesia and those related to the surgery.
Risks of general anesthesia include nausea, vomiting, urinary retention, cut lips, chipped teeth, sore throat and headache. More serious complications include heart attacks, stroke and pneumonia.
Postoperative complications may include:
- Fluid buildup at the site of mesh placement, sometimes requiring aspiration (draining off)
- Postoperative bleeding, though seldom enough to require repeat surgery
- Prolonged suture pain, treated with pain medication or anti-inflammatory drugs
- Injury to intra abdominal organs like the intestines, liver etc.
- Nerve injury
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- Fever, usually related to surgical wound infection
- Intra-abdominal (within the abdominal wall) abscess
- Urinary retention
- Blood clots can form in the legs due to inactivity after surgery
- Blood clots can get dislodged from the legs and can get embedded in the lungs leading to respiratory distress
