Many types of problems can happen, and we cannot list all of them here. Some of the more common major problems that can happen are:
· Serious infection
· Serious bleeding
· Organ damage, including the bladder, ureters, fallopian tubes and/or ovaries or blood vessels
· Damage to the intestines, including a perforation, or a hole, in its lining or a burn injury
· Major blood vessel injury
· Formation of a fistula, which is an abnormal opening or tunnel between two structures, such as the vagina and bladder or rectum
· Blood clots
· Wound breakdown
· Hernias of the surgical wound or the diaphragm
· Air inflation complications, including air getting into a blood vessel or an area outside the abdomen
· Nerve injury
· Bladder or urinary tract injury
· Abdominal adhesions, which may cause a bowel obstruction
· Urinary incontinence, which is uncontrollable leakage of urine
· Reaction to medication
· Other rare and unlikely events.
Depending on what happens, one of these major problems might mean you will need a blood transfusion, a longer hospital stay, or another surgery. Your surgeon might also need to change the surgery to an abdominal hysterectomy, or you may need to have immediate major abdominal surgery, get a temporary or permanent colostomy, or have a repeat surgery at a later time. In extreme cases, a major complication may result in permanent disability, paralysis, or loss of life.
