Medical Health Encyclopedia

Minor complications after hysterectomy are very common. About half of women develop minor and treatable urinary tract infections. There is usually mild pain and light vaginal bleeding post operation. The infrequent occurrence of severe bleeding or hemorrhaging after vaginal hysterectomy, or laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy, may be promptly treated by laparoscopy.

More serious complications, such as those described below, are uncommon but patients should be aware of their symptoms and call the physician immediately if they occur.

Among the three procedures, a 2001 Australian study reported that complication rates were 44% for abdominal hysterectomy, 24% for vaginal hysterectomy, and only 2% for LAVH. (LAVH is used in less than 4% of hysterectomies, however.)

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Infection. Infection occurs in 10% to 15% of patients, the risk being higher with abdominal than with vaginal surgery. Risk factors for infection appear to be obesity, a longer than normal operative time, and low socioeconomic status. Patients should be aware of any symptoms and call the physician immediately if they occur:

• Continuing or increasingly severe pain.
• Fever.
• Heavy discharge.
• Bleeding (antibiotics given at the time of surgery help to reduce this risk).

Blood Clots. There is a slight risk for small blood clots, usually in veins of the legs (thrombophlebitis). A sudden swelling or discoloration in the leg can indicate this condition and require immediate medical attention.

Click the icon to see an image of thrombophlebitis.

Other Serious Complications. Other serious and even life-threatening complications are rare but can include:

• Pulmonary embolism (blood clots that travel to the lung).

Click the icon to see an image of a pulmonary embolism.

• Surgical injury of the urinary or intestinal tracts. (They are uncommon and most are recognized and repaired during the hysterectomy.)
• Abscesses.
• Perforation of the bowel.
• Fistulas (a passage that bores from an organ to the skin or to another organ).
• Dehiscence (opening of the surgical wound).