Obstetrical and gynecological (OB-GYN) surgery is performed for a number of reasons. While cesarean sections are the most common OB-GYN surgery, surgery may also be performed to improve fertility by removing endometriosis or adhesions, to treat cancer, or for sterilization. As with any surgical procedure, complications can occur from OB-GYN surgery.
Bleeding
Any surgery carries a risk of some bleeding; excess bleeding is considered to be more than 1,000ml or bleeding heavy enough to require transfusion, according to M.Ds William Parker and Willis Wagner. The pelvis and abdominal cavity contain many large vessels, which surgeons can nick or damage. Also, sutures can come loose after surgery. Vaginal bleeding that is heavier than a normal period or that soaks through a pad an hour is excessive and should be reported to your doctor, according to Sarah Feldman, M.D.
Infection
According to Anshu Gupta, M.D., infection is the most common surgical risk. Infection can occur at the surgical site, as a complication from intravenous lines or from Foley catheters inserted to drain urine. Shallow breathing from pain can result in pneumonia, as secretions are inadequately cleared from the lungs. Fever over 101 degrees, heart rate over 100 beats per minute, pain, especially pain that's increasing, shortness of breath and pain when urinating are all signs of possible surgical infection, according to Dr. Feldman.
Gastrointestinal Complications
Injury to the bowel is a serious complication that can occur in laparoscopic surgery from the instruments inserted into the small openings through which the surgery is performed, according to Drs. Thomas Stovall and William Mann. Perforation of the bowel can lead to peritonitis, an infection of the lining of the abdomen, called the pertinoneum. Peritonitis is a serious condition and can be fatal.
Constipation can be a problem after surgery, because anesthesia, narcotic pain medications and inactivity all slow down the gastrointestinal tract, according to Dr. Feldman. Nausea and vomiting are also common complications of OB-GYN surgery.
Urinary Complications
According to Stovall and Mann, damage to the urinary tract can also occur from insertion of instruments into laparoscopic openings. Urinary retention is common after surgery for the same reasons, and also because having a catheter for a short time during and after surgery may make it difficult to urinate when the catheter is removed.
Deep Vein Thrombosis
DVTs are clots that develop in the deep veins of the pelvis or legs; they can break loose and lodge in the lungs, causing a pulmonary embolus, a blockage of an artery in the lung, which leads to respiratory problems and possibly death. DVTs develop because of immobility after surgery, and because surgery increases blood clotting, according to the Merck Manual.
