Risks of an operation
Like all operations, hernia surgery is also associated with risks. General anaesthesia entails some risks, such as intolerance of the anaesthetic drugs and difficulties in ventilation. In addition to these general surgical risks, every operation has its own specific risks.
Hernia surgery can result in injury to nerves and vessels in the stomach and diaphragm. If the phrenic nerve, the phrenic nerve, is injured, breathing difficulties can result. The vagus nerve, the nerve of the parasympathetic nervous system, can cause gastric emptying problems. However, complications are rare with these operations.
Duration of an operation
A pure narrowing of the esophagus to prevent reflux esophagitis is a very short operation. The actual hiatus hernia operation is a somewhat more complex operation which in some cases must also be performed on the open abdomen. It is not possible to determine the exact duration of the operation, as this varies from individual to individual. Afterwards, a hospital stay of about five days is to be expected.
Forecast
The prognosis for axial hiatal hernia is very good. The result of the operation is checked again with an X-ray examination with contrast medium and the affected person can usually leave the hospital after a few days. In case of congenital diaphragmatic defects with a paraesophageal hernia the prognosis is worse. In complicated cases about 40% of newborns die.
