What are the risks of a hernia repair surgery?

Usually: The risks of hernia surgery are minimal. Mainly it depends on your overall health and if you have any risk factors such as cigarette smoking, diabetes, asthma, heart disease, etc. Surgery itself, depending on the type of hernia, is a minor outpatient surgery. There is no bleeding, no blood transfusion, low risk of infection. There is a low chance of future hernia recurrence at the same site.

Variable : Risks of any operation include a reaction to anesthesia, heart attack, stroke, bleeding, infection, blood clots in leg/lung, injury to adjacent organs, and risk exposure without symptom relief or benefit (operation doesn't work). Low chance for all, but variable among patients. All hernias are different: some are 45' outpatient procedures, and others several hour procedures. An experienced general surgeon can help with the details in your case.

What I tell patients: Risk of recurrence, bleeding, infection, chronic or temporary pain in the area, loss of sensation to inside leg and scrotum, seroma or fluid collection, injury to femoral vein or artery. These are from the surgery, anesthesia carries its own risks.