Posted on April 29, 2021
Surgery has risks. No matter how great your surgeon is, and how well you follow instructions, you will always have risk. The top seven common general surgical risks (this is not talking about the rare complications which can be more severe, like pulmonary embolism, heart issues, etc)
- SPITTING SUTURES. No one knows about this until they have surgery. But when we close an incision in a layered closure, we use dissolving sutures under the skin. We do hundreds of sutures in big cases. When your body dissolves the sutures, sometimes it decides that is too much work, so it “spits” it out through
- HEMATOMA. What is it? A blood collection under the skin. If they are big enough, your doctor may need to aspirate or drain it.
- INFLAMMATION & INFECTION. Superficial infections require antibiotic ointment. Deeper ones may need oral or IV.
- SCARS: THICK, WIDE, or DEPRESSED. We as plastic surgeons take time to close your incisions very carefully. There are treatments which may improve scars. I put all my patients on scar treatments following surgery.
- WOUND SEPARATION or DELAYED HEALING. Any incision during the initial healing phase is weak. It can separate or heal slowly. What could the issue be to impair the healing? It can be inflammation, infection, excess tension, poor circulation, diabetes, smoking, or poor diet. If this happens, and the scar ends up not looking great, you may improve it with a scar revision.
- SENSITIVITY OR ALLERGY. This can be to medication or to the dressings and tape used. This is usually mild and easily treated.
- INCREASED RISK FOR SMOKERS. Everything heals more poorly in smokers.