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Complications of GI Surgery

Gastrointestinal surgery, or GI surgery, involves any portion of the digestive system, including the stomach, the esophagus, and the large and small bowels. Like any surgical procedure, GI surgery carries with it some inherent risks. Some of the potential complications from GI surgery include bowel problems, bowel obstruction and infection.

  1. Bowel Issues

    • Either constipation or diarrhea can be a potential complication of GI surgery. Those conditions can be transient—appearing and disappearing randomly—or chronic and continuous. Many of those problems will resolve of their own as your body heals from the surgery, but you can help minimize those issues by adhering to a diet based on your doctor's recommendations, keeping your overall fiber intake high (about 20 grams per day for women and 30 grams for men) to normalize the digestive process.

    Bowel Obstruction

    • Partial blockage in either the small or large intestine can occasionally result from GI surgery and can be very dangerous, so beware of the symptoms. Nausea, vomiting, and localized or radiating abdominal pain can all be symptomatic of bowel obstruction, so report those symptoms to your doctor at once. He will likely order a CT scan or other diagnostic imaging test to ascertain the condition of your bowels, acting to correct the problem with further surgery if required.

    Infection

    • Infection is another major potential complication of GI surgery, particularly at the incision site. Symptoms of this condition include warmth at the site of the wound, the appearance of pus, pain, tenderness, swelling and foul odors. Infections from surgical procedures are typically treated with a round of antibiotics and other medications to kill the invading bacteria. Prognosis improves with speed of detection, so alert your doctor immediately if you believe you have an infection.

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