Possible Complications of Common Surgical Procedures This newsletter extends to several pages, but I think you will find it very helpful. It explains clearly the side effects of many common surgical procedures. As a chiropractor I have noticed that while surgeons do their work well, including the support staff, often the rehabilitation is very slow. Chiropractic care has often assisted patients who have recovered from life-saving surgery. I remember one patient in particular whose hand went through a windscreen during a motor vehicle accident. The glass cut between his third and fourth fingers, all the way up to his elbow. The microsurgeon sewed his arm together and saved it. However, the patient was unable to use his hand and fingers to grasp even the simplest object. After balancing the muscles and increasing the movement in the joints, we were able to get the movement back into his wrist and hand, enabling him to use a knife and fork, and virtually duplicate his good hand. Never underestimate the power of chiropractic care. It will often speed up the rehabilitation for many difficult surgical problems. The risks listed below are taken from the rules of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals. The risks were defined by the Louisiana Medical Disclosure Panel and are required to be disclosed by physicians to patients. The Louisiana Medical Disclosure Panel Law requires that physicians tell patients: - the nature of the patient's condition - the general nature of the proposed treatment/surgery - the risks of the proposed treatment/surgery, as defined by the Panel, and - reasonable therapeutic alternatives and risks associated with such alternatives. We urge patients to discuss the risks with your doctor and try to find out if any of the risks has occurred in his/her practice before undergoing any procedure. Name of Procedure Risk 1 Risk 2 Risk 3 Risk 4 Risk 5 Risk 6 Risk 7 Adenoidectomy Bleeding Nasal speech Nasal regurgitation Anaesthesia, general Abnormal reaction to drugs Aspiration of stomach contents Injury to vocal cords or throat Injury to teeth, lips & tongue Brain damage Malignant hyperthermia Angiography, cerebral Injury to the arteries entered Bleeding at the site of entry by catheter Stroke Blindness or brain damage Emboli to the brain Allergic reaction to the injected contrast medium Angiography, coronary Injury to the artery Damage to heart Myocardial infarction Possible need for open heart surgery Irregular heartbeat Bleeding at the site of entrance Allergic reaction to injected contrast medium Angioplasty [reconstruction of a blood vessel] Paraplegia Loss of extremity Bowel infarction Renal failure Aortic dissection Stroke Renal failure Bowel infarction Paraplegia Death Aortic Graft Bleeding or infection Infection or emboli Kidney failure or loss of limb Inadequate blood to bowel or spinal cord Myocardial infarction Sexual dysfunction Death Appendectomy Infection Bleeding Intra-abdominal abscess Colon requiring colostomy Hernia in the incision Arteriovenous shunt for haemodialysis Bleeding or infection Damage blood vessel with risk of rupture Recurrent thrombosis Severe oedema of extremity Inadequate blood supply to extremity Inadequate blood supply to nerves Birth of child Injury to bladder Injury to rectum Fistula between vagina & rectum Haemorrhage possibly requiring hysterectomy Brain damage to foetus Blood transfusion Fever Kidney failure Heart failure Hepatitis AIDs Breast augmentation Risks of use of silicon gel are excluded Scar formation around implant causing hard breast Deflation of implant Loss of sensation to the nipple & breast Persistent pain in breast Distortion of breast mound Leakage of implant contents Breast biopsy, excisional Infection &/or blood clot Failure to obtain accurate diagnosis Disfiguring scar Failure to locate & remove abnormality Cardiopulmonary bypass Stroke Respiratory complications Kidney failure Death Carotid endarterectomy [excision of a diseased lining of artery] Blood clots Infection Stroke Nerve injury causing mouth, throat, or tongue problems Myocardial infarction Death Cataract surgery Loss of vision or decrease in vision Loss of eye Bleeding inside or behind eye Painful eye Droopy eyelid Catheterization, central venous Haemorrhage into chest cavity or elsewhere Pericardial tamponade (compress of heart) Cardiac arrest or stroke Collapse of lung Damage to blood vessels Infusion of fluid into chest cavity Cervix, removal Uncontrollable leakage of urine Injury to the bladder Injury to the bowel or intestinal obstruction Injury to the ureter Sterility Pulmonary embolism Cholecystectomy [establishment of a fistula into gallbladder] Pancreatitis Injury to the bile duct Retained stones in the bile duct Narrowing of the bile duct Injury to the bowel Coarctation [constriction] of the aorta Quadriplegia or paraplegia Permanent hoarseness Leakage of body fluid from intestines into chest Loss of bowel &/or bladder function Impotence in males Colon surgery Infection of the incision Intra-abdominal abscess Leakage from colon & possible colostomy Injury to other organs or blood vessels Diarrhoea, sometimes permanent Formation of scar tissue causing intestinal blockage Hernia in incision Colonoscopy Infection or bleeding Perforation of colon or rectal wall Cardiac arrhythmias Dental implants Infection, bleeding, failure to heal Permanent & disfiguring scarring Premature loss of implant, or mobility Loss of bone Numbness of face or mouth Fracture of jaw Injury to adjacent teeth or sinus Dilation & curettage Haemorrhage with possible hysterectomy Perforation of the uterus Injury to the bowel or bladder Sterility Ear tubes Persistent infection Perforation of eardrum or cyst behind the eardrum Need to surgically remove tubes Endoscopic retrograde cholangio pancreatogram (ERCP) [x-ray of bile ducts & pancreas] Infection Perforation of oesophagus, stomach or intestines Cardiac arrhythmias Pancreatic inflammation Endoscopy, abdominal Puncture of the bowel or blood vessel Abdominal infection Operation to correct injury Injury to ureter Injury to bladder Epidural, spinal Abnormal reaction to drugs Leakage of cerebrospinal fluid Epidural blood cot or abscess Broken needles or catheters Incomplete analgesia Back pain &/or paralysis Severe headaches Femoral bypass grafts Bleeding requiring reoperation Necrosis of skin around incision Thrombi or emboli Limb loss Nerve damage Myocardial infarction Death Fibroid removal (uterine myomectomy Uncontrollable leakage of urine Injury to bladder Injury to ureter Injury to the bowel &/or intestinal obstruction Sterility Pulmonary embolism Gastrectomy [excision of part or all of stomach] or phloroplasty Infection of incision or inside abdomen Bleeding requiring transfusion Leakage from stomach Inability to maintain weight Chronic vomiting after eating Diarrhoea & need for vitamin B12 injections Recurrence of condition for which surgery was done Haemodialysis Hypotension, haemorrhage, sepsis, cardiac arrhythmias Allergic reaction to tubing & dialyser Pulmonary oedema Air bubbles in bloodstream Seizure, hypothermia, fever, metabolic disorders Viral infections such as HIV Cardiac arrest Haemorrhoid-ectomy Bleeding Post-operative pain, especially with bowel movements Temporary/permanent difficulty controlling bowels or gas Recurrence of haemorrhoids Narrowing of anal opening requiring repeated dilations Hernia repair Infection Bleeding Recurrence of hernia Injury to or loss of testicle or spermatic cords Nerve injury resulting in numbness or chronic pain Hysterectomy, abdominal or vaginal Uncontrollable leakage of urine Injury to bladder Injury to ureter Injury to the bowel &/or intestinal obstruction Painful intercourse Ovarian failure requiring hormone administration Formation of fistula between vagina & rectum Kidney stone lithotripsy [crushing of stone] Bleeding in or around kidney Obstruction of kidney by stone particles Failure to completely fragment stones High blood pressure Loss of kidney Liver biopsy Bleeding Lung collapse Internal leakage of bile Puncture of other organs Aspiration pneumonia Lumpectomy Infection or blood clot Disfiguring scar Fluid collection in arm pit Numbness to arm Swelling of arm Damage to nerves of arm or chest Recurrence of cancer Mastectomy, radical Limitation of movement of shoulder or arm Swelling of the arm Loss of skin of chest, requiring graft Failure to eradicate the malignancy Injury to major blood vessel Decreased sensation or numbness Oral surgery Infection, bleeding, failure to heal Injury to adjacent teeth Numbness of face &/or mouth Fracture of either jaw Opening between mouth & sinus or nose Tooth fragment in sinus Dry socket Penile implant Bleeding & infection Penile pain or numbness Injury to bladder or urethra Problems with implantable prosthetic Prostatectomy Bleeding &/or infection Injury to bladder, urethra, or rectum Impotence Retrograde ejaculation Bladder blockage Incontinence Radial keratotomy [incision through cornea] Loss of or decrease in vision Loss of eye Variable vision Radiating images around lights Over or under correction Cataract formation Retained need for glasses Radiation therapy, head/neck - initial reaction Altered sense of smell, taste, or nausea Difficulty swallowing, weight loss, fatigue Hoarseness, cough, loss of voice Hearing loss, dizziness Dry & irritable eyes Increased risk of infection &/or bleeding Intensified by chemotherapy Radiation therapy, head/neck - late reaction Tooth decay & gum changes Bone damage in jaws Hair loss, scarring of skin Swelling of tissues under chin Brain, spinal cord or nerve damage Pituitary or thyroid gland damage Second cancers developing Radiation therapy, thorax - initial reaction Skin changes, hair loss on chest Inflammation of oesophagus, heart sac, or lungs Bleeding or fistula from tumour destruction Intermittent electric shock-like feeling in the lower body Increased risk of infection or bleeding Intensified by chemotherapy Radiation therapy, thorax - late reaction Changes in skin texture, scarring, hair loss Lung scarring or shrinkage Narrowing of oesophagus Constriction of heart sac Damage to heart muscle or arteries Fracture of ribs Spinal cord or liver damage Renal biopsy Injury to adjacent organs Infection Hypotension Bleeding from kidney Intestinal perforation Rhinoplasty Bleeding Infection Disappointing cosmetic result Impaired breathing through nose Septal perforation Septoplasty [correction of defects or deformities of nasal septum] Bleeding Infection Injury to nerve of upper teeth Septal perforation Spinal fluid leak Sigmoidoscopy [inspection of sigmoid colon] /Protoscopy Infection or bleeding Perforation of colon or rectal wall Cardiac arrhythmia Sinus surgery Bleeding Infection Scar formation Spinal fluid leak Infection of brain tissue Blindness or eye damage Injury to sense of smell Spinal manipulation Stroke Disc herniation Soft tissue injury Rib fracture Spinal operation Pain, numbness or paralysis Weakness in extremities Loss of bladder function Loss of bowel function Unstable spine Recurrence of condition Injury to blood vessels Thyroidectomy Permanent hoarseness or impair speech Low blood calcium levels requiring extensive medication Life-long requirement of thyroid medication Tonsillectomy Bleeding Injury to nerves to tongue Nasal speech Vasectomy Bleeding &/or infection Testicular swelling or pain Spermatic granuloma (nodule in cord at site of surgery) Reconnection of vas tube resulting in fertility Ventricular atrial shunt placement Malfunction of shunt due to infection Heart failure Infection in blood stream Occlusion of large veins in chest Blood or fluid collection around heart Blood cots in lung Ventriculo-peritoneal shunt placement Malfunction of shunt due to infection Collection of blood or fluid between brain & skull Headaches Development of need for another shunt Blood clot in brain Blindness, seizures or epilepsy Leaks or separation of catheter **** Copyright 1998, 1999, 2000. This newsletter has been produced by Dr Donald McDowall of the Macquarie Chiropractic Clinic, Canberra Australia and is copyright to Cosmos Pty Ltd (ACN 008 593 173). When this document is reproduced in any format this copyright statement is to always accompany the article.