Understanding the Risks of Surgery

Many modern surgical procedures are both routine and safe but, it is important to remember that there is a certain amount of risk in every surgical procedure. Minor procedures are associated with very little risk but, more involved surgeries can be quite a bit riskier. Understanding the risks involved with any surgical procedure is the key to being an informed and prepared patient.

 

Realize that every surgery that involves a cut or incision in the skin carries the risk of a scar. Surgeons, especially plastic surgeons, aim to minimize or hide scars as much as possible but, there is only so much that can be done. Surgical scars are a normal consequence of surgery and you should understand that risk.

 

Redness, swelling and pain are very common with surgery and are virtually unavoidable. Despite the fact that surgeons take great care to only cut as little tissue as possible and to make cuts that will heal quickly, surgery still involves cutting living tissue. Anytime your tissues are cut there will be pain. Fortunately modern medicine provides doctors with the ability to block pain both during and after the surgical procedure. The redness and swelling can be minimized with elevation and cold compresses as needed. Occasionally the mechanisms responsible for draining excess fluid from an area get damaged by the surgery itself leading to excessive swelling. Depending on the location, pressure stockings can be applied to decrease swelling but, this is not always possible.

 

 

Everything that the body feels is carried by electrical signals along nerves. These nerves travel to the brain and allow us to experience the world around us. However, in some places these nerves can be very thin, even invisible to the naked eye. Occasionally surgeons may sever one of more of these nerves during surgery leading to a loss of sensation in the extremity. In some cases other nerves will compensate for this deficit but in other cases the loss of sensation could be permanent.

 

Bleeding is a part of virtually every surgical procedure. Surgeons employ various techniques to minimize bleeding but a certain amount is unavoidable. Blood underneath the skin appears as a bruise. Bruising is not uncommon and may last for up to ten days after the procedure. In cases where a great deal of blood pools in one location, known as a hematoma, surgeons may need to make another incision to drain the blood from the area.

 

The possibility of infection exists any time the skin is broken, or in the case of surgery, cut. The risk of infection is kept low by the administration of antibiotics at the start of the procedure (right into your intravenous line) and then perhaps for several days after. Any surgery in which a part of the gastrointestinal tract is operated on be it the esophagus, stomach, or intestines, the risk of infection increases dramatically. Also, special care is taken to avoid infection in the case of artificial joint placement surgery since an infection in a replacement joint can force a complete revision of the surgery.

 

Again, modern surgical procedures are generally quite safe but understanding the risks before going under the knife is your best weapon against unforeseen consequences.