Most patients experience one or more minor complications that resolve quickly.
Pain is to be expected and can be managed with medication.
If you need them, your surgeon may also prescribe stronger pain medications.
Illustration by Ellen Lindner for Verywell Health
Anesthesia Side Effects
People respond differently toanesthesia.
Some wake up easily and with no unpleasant symptoms.
Others wake confused, agitated, or nauseated.
It is much easier to prevent this issue with medication than it is to treat it.
Vomiting can also be painful after surgery, especially if the surgery requires an abdominal incision.
Your body is working hard to repair the incisions and blood loss.
Feeling tired is a normal part ofrecovery, but feeling exhausted is not typical.
Wound Dehiscence
Wounddehiscenceis the medical term for having an incision open back up during the healing process.
In most cases, this is a minor issue.
It can lead to an extra week or two of healing.
In serious cases, the wound opens enough to require surgical intervention.
Difficulty Urinating
Trouble urinating after surgery is very common.
It typically happens to patients who had a urinary catheter placed during surgery.
This problem, calledurinary retention, usually resolves in the days following surgery.
For some patients, a catheter may be necessary until the bladder wakes up from anesthesia.
High fevers are not common or expected and should always be reported to the surgeon.
Most urinary tract infections are easily treated with antibiotics and respond quickly to treatment.
More serious urinary tract infections can lead to a condition calledurosepsis.
For that reason, burning with urination and other urinary tract infection symptoms should not be ignored.
Lung Problems
Being on a ventilator during surgery can lead toissues with breathing.
You may be given a machine called an incentive spirometer to take home.
This is a equipment that helps you take deep breaths.
If provided, it should be used to prevent lung collapse or pneumonia.
Pneumonia
It is harder for your body to fight viruses and bacteria after surgery.
If your healthcare provider determines that the infection is bacterial, you may also receive antibiotics.
Atelectasis (Collapsed Lung)
Atelectasisis when the small air sacks in your lungs lose air.
Blood clots can usually be prevented with medication.
Infection/Sepsis After Surgery
Preventing infectionis very important after surgery.
It can be as easy aswashing your hands properlyand frequently.
Antibiotics are often prescribed after surgery, even if no signs or symptoms of infection are present.
This can help prevent an infection from developing.
An infection will dramatically slow or even stop the healing process.
Identifying thesigns and symptoms of infectionearly can lead to a faster recovery.
Sepsis is a potentially life-threatening, whole-body infection.
Summary
Most people will have minor complications after surgery.
These may include things like fatigue, sore throat, and nausea.
Some people can experience more serious complications like infection or pneumonia.
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