|
|
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
General anesthesia is delivered as a gas and requires putting a tube in the airway (endotracheal intubation). To do this, the patient is given intravenous sedatives and a muscle relaxant and remains asleep and insensate throughout the operation.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
What are the risks of hernia surgery?
All the risks involved in hernia occur in only a small percent of cases (under 5%). These include bleeding and infection which are inherent in any invasive procedure. Early bleeding in the recovery room may require a return to the operating room. Slower bleeding may result in a collection of blood in the wound causing a swelling called a hematoma. A small hematoma will reabsorb with time. A larger or painful hematoma may need to be drained by opening a portion of the wound. A collection of serum (seroma) may also appear under the incision and require drainage. This is common when a hernia sac is left in place intentionally in a laparoscopic hernia repair.
Infection in the wound manifests itself as redness, tenderness and swelling and may be accompanied by fever. If infection progresses to a collection of pus (abscess), it will need to be drained by opening part or all of the incision. Injury to the large blood vessels supplying the legs is a rare but potentially serious complication. Incarcerated bowel may also be injured. There are numerous nerves in the groin which can be injured causing numbness to the skin of the region or postoperative pain. The blood supply to the testicle can be damaged in the course of hernia repair resulting in decreased blood flow and inflammation (ischemic orchitis) and may result in permanent loss of testicular function on that side.
Notes:
Link to this frame from your Personal Thumbnails page?
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
If I have a hernia on both sides, can both be repaired at once?
Both sides (bilateral) can be repaired at the same time by open techniques but with increased risks. Naturally the discomfort is increased and the pace of the initial recovery slowed. In addition increased tension from one side to the other may increase the risk of recurrence. A slight risk that should be considered in men of child rearing age is the possibility of orchitis on both sides resulting in sterility. Unless time away from work is a pressing issue, it is often more prudent to stage the procedures, doing them three or four weeks apart. These caveats do not apply to laparoscopic repair which lends itself to doing both sides with minimal added morbidity.
Notes:
Link to this frame from your Personal Thumbnails page?
Click the "Update" button to save your Notes and Personal Thumbnails.
Next
1-3
4-6
7-9
10-12
13-15
16-18
19-21
22-24
25-27
28-30
31-33
This page was last modified on 2/15/1999.
Clinical Folios:
Abdomen,
Biliary/Pancreatic,
Breast,
Cardiothoracic,
Colorectal,
Embryology,
Genitourinary,
Gynecology,
Head and Neck,
Hernia,
Musculoskeletal,
Neurosurgery,
Ophthalmology,
Pediatric Surgery,
Plastic Surgery,
Radiology,
Soft Tissue/Sarcoma,
Surgical Anatomy,
Technique,
Trauma,
Vascular | |
Discussions,
SCALpels
Personal Pages:
Thumbnails,
Presentations,
Quizzes
Home,
Image Archive,
About Vesalius,
Keyword Search,
Glossary
Logout