Small Bowel Resection Side Effects and Warnings

Possible Complications

Complications are rare, but no procedure is completely free of risk. If you are planning to have a resection, your doctor will review a list of possible complications, which may include:

• Excessive bleeding
• Infection
• Blockage of the intestine caused by scar tissue
• Hernia formation at the incision site

Previous abdominal surgery may increase the risk for complications.

Call Your Doctor

After you leave the hospital, contact your doctor if any of the following occurs:

• Signs of infection, including fever and chills
• Any redness, swelling, bleeding, or drainage from the incision site
• Your bandage becomes soaked with blood
• Stitches or staples come apart
• Nausea and/or vomiting that you cannot control with the medicines you were given after surgery, or which persist for more than two days after discharge from the hospital
• Persistent abdominal pain or bloating
• Constipation or diarrhea
• Rectal bleeding or tarry-colored stools
• Pain that you cannot control with the medicines you have been given
• Cough, shortness of breath, or chest pain
• Pain, burning, urgency, or frequency of urination, or persistent bleeding in the urine
• New symptoms

In case of an emergency, CALL 911.