What complications can
occur during and after a surgical operation


If you are predisposed to bleeding or if there have been any cases of coagulopathy in your family, please let us know. Some 2 weeks before the operation you should stop taking anticoagulant medication (e.g. Aspirin).


In any operation with a general anaesthetic there is a risk of thrombosis (formation of a blood clot) followed by pulmonary embolism. To prevent thrombosis, our patients are given an anticoagulant a few hours after the operation. In some cases, this medication is continued in the first few days after the operation.

Allergies, intolerances

Here, ahead of the operation, we ask you whether or not you are known to have any allergies or drug intolerances. The best thing is for you to bring your allergy card with you when you come to the preliminary interview.


Bruising is absolutely normal after such an operation and will go away on its own in time. Sometimes, it happens that the bruising is not the same on both sides. If you are predisposed to bruising easily, or if the bruising is intense, we recommend drugs that you can take after the operation to help speed up the regression of bruising.


During the operation, we attempt to even out any existing asymmetries, for example of the breasts or labia. However, the anatomical preconditions vary greatly as a rule, so that 100 per cent symmetry cannot be achieved. It is often the case that one side is more swollen than the other after the operation, though that generally goes away in time.


In a surgical operation, nerves and blood vessels are always severed too. So particularly at the beginning, there may be sensory disturbances or even feelings of numbness in the area of the operation and the scars – and this often differs from one side to the other. Usually, however, the sensitivity equalises out completely after a few weeks, or sometimes months.

Inflammations and disruptions in the way the wounds heal

Inflammations are very rare. To prevent them, we administer an antibiotic during the anaesthetic via your intravenous portal. For your own safety, please refrain from tobacco consumption for at least four weeks before and four weeks after the operation, because tobacco can have a serious negative influence on the way your wounds heal and increase the risk of infection.


Scarring varies greatly from patient to patient, and it may also appear different in different parts of the body. If you are predisposed to problems in scar formation, please let us know about it. We will advise you on the right kind of scar care at your post-operative check-ups.

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