Common postoperative complications
Lets start with a MCQ
Question
All of the following are immediate post operative complications except
a. Aspiration
b. Myocardial infarction
c. Deep vein thrombosis
d. Neurogenic shock
Ans: ‘c’ deep vein thrombosis
Explanation and comments
General postoperative complications
Immediate:
- Primary haemorrhage
- Basal atelectasis
- Shock: blood loss, acute MI
- Low urine output: inadequate fluid replacement
- Neurogenic shock
- Aspiration
Early
- Pain
- Acute confusion
- Nausea & vomiting: analgesia or related, paralytic
- ileus
- Fever
- Secondary haemorrhage (d/t infection)
- DVT Pneumonia
- Acute urinary retention
- UTI
- Paralytic ileus
- Pressure sore
Late
- Bowel obstruction d/t fibrous adhesions
- Incisional hernia
- Persistent sinus
- Recurrence of reason for surgery eg – malignancy
- Keloid formation
- Cosmetic appearance
