Hernia surgery risks 

Inguinal hernia repair is a commonly performed operation. The greatest risks come from the general anaesthetic rather than the surgery itself.

Common side-effects of a hernia operation can include:

• Pain.
• Swelling and lack of feeling in the abdomen and groin.
• For men, there may be swelling and bruising around the genitals that can last a couple of days.
• Difficulty in urinating and passing stools, especially if straining.
• If you smoke, you will heal more slowly and may experience more side-effects. Give up smoking at least two weeks before having your operation - having a smoker's cough while healing can be extremely painful and can put stress on the wound.

Keyhole surgery

If you've had keyhole surgery, the side-effects may be less severe and recovery will be somewhat quicker. Everyone heals at different rates, so you should ask your surgeon about your risks and recovery before hernia surgery.

If you have elected to have a keyhole operation, there's a chance your surgeon may need to convert your keyhole operation to open surgery. This means making a bigger cut on your groin. This is only done if it's impossible to complete the operation safely using the keyhole technique.

If you experience any of the following symptoms after hernia surgery, you should call your doctor immediately:

• Pain that gets worse over time (in men the testicles or scrotum may swell, which might need another procedure to correct).
• Excessive bleeding.
• Redness and soreness.
• Fever (temperature above 37.8°C / 100°F).

Rare side effects of a hernia operation ⁽¹⁾

• Neuropathic pain and numbness in the groin area may continue to be a problem for up to a year after surgery (another operation may be necessary to clear this up).
• Blood or fluid can build up around the repaired hernia, which may need a visit to the hospital to drain it off.
• Other structures and tissues in the abdomen can get damaged by hernia surgery.
• Despite the repair, an inguinal hernia may come back (less common with mesh repair).

References:

1. Poobalan, Bruce & King et al | Chronic pain and quality of life following open inguinal hernia repair | British Journal of Surgery (2001) Aug; 88(8): pp 1122-6