My husband is about to have abdominal hernia surgery. what is the worst possible outcome we are looking at?

A loaded question.: Every operation has risks, dependent on the procedure performed and the health of the patient. Thankfully, the risk of dying after elective hernia surgery is very, very low but not zero. More common risks include hernia recurrence, bleeding, infection, intestinal injury, to name but a few. Every case needs to be approached as "risks v. Benefits"--this should be discussed w/his surgeon pre-op.

Death: There are many possible complications from hernia repair, fortunately all the major ones are rare. Hernia repair however i often misunderstood and underestimated byatt doctors and patients, so make sure you know what your getting in to and don't be afraid to ask questions - how long is the operation and anticipated hospital stay, how many have you done, etc.

Generally low risk: Your surgeon is obligated to go over the details of the risks and benefits of the operation based on your individual factors. Generally speaking, elective hernia repairs are a very low risk operations. Common risks are wound related problems, including infection and hernia recurrence. The chances of this are related to your husband's specific hernia, repair technique and medical history.