Common Postoperative Complications
While most surgeries have no complications afterward, there are a few common complications that can happen even with minimally invasive, outpatient surgeries.
Likely the most common postoperative complication is pain. Minimally invasive surgeries generally result in less pain than those that require larger incisions, but patients may still experience pain after the procedure. Be sure to follow all postoperative instructions on what medications you may take following your procedure to help with pain.
Orthopedic procedures carry a higher risk of the development of clots, but clots can occur in any patient following any procedure. Those who smoke, are obese, or who are immobile are at the highest risk for clots. Postoperative clots usually form in the legs, but can move to the lungs where they can potentially become fatal. Swelling in the leg and calf pain are early indicators of a blood clot in the leg, and shortness of breath and chest pain are warning signs that the clot may have traveled to the lungs.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), approximately 27 million surgeries are performed each year and of those, approximately 1% will experience a postoperative infection. Of these 1%, most infections are minor and only affect the skin, but serious infections can occur and cause 8,000 deaths per year. Symptoms of a postoperative infection include redness, heat, pain, fever, and drainage from the surgical site. If any of these symptoms occur, patients should call their doctor immediately to identify if their symptoms are truly an infection.
At Specialty Surgical Center in Sparta, New Jersey the medical team is focused on providing a safe environment for patients. Through the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and The Joint Commission, Specialty Surgical Center continues to implement programs that place patient safety as a top priority, with the end goal as reducing the incidences of postoperative complications. For more information about postoperative complications, patient safety programs, or Specialty Surgical Center, please call 973-940-3166 or visit our contact page
Specialty Surgical Center is located in Sparta, New Jersey and our staff consists of board certified surgeons and anesthesiologists performing procedures in Orthopedics, Sports Medicine, Spinal Care, Podiatry, Urology, Pain Management, ENT, Hand Surgery, Lithotripsy, Brachytherapy, GYN and Laser Surgery.
For more information about Specialty Surgical Center, call 973-940-3166 or visit our Contact Page.
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