Anthony Geary Dies After Surgery Complications: What Can Go Wrong and Why It Happens

Anthony

Geary, who famously played Luke Spencer on General Hospital, has died due to a post-surgery complication, according to news reports. The 78-year-old soap star’s official cause of death is unclear at the moment, but reports say he could not recover from a planned operation that took place in the Netherlands. “It was a shock for me and our families and our friends,” Anthony’s husband Claudio Gama told the TV Insider, confirming his death. “For more than 30 years, Tony has been my friend, my companion, my husband,” he added.

What is a post-surgical complication?

A post-surgery complication happens when there is any negative health event or issue that arises after an operation, ranging from minor discomfort like swelling to severe problems like infections, bleeding, blood clots, or even organ dysfunction. It can significantly impact recovery and sometimes even require further treatment for optimal healing. According to doctors, even though your surgery may be planned and well-intentioned, when you undergo the knife, your body will react, just like it does when you accidentally cut or bump yourself. Often, you would be given an idea of what to expect afterward. Sometimes there will be complications, too -- things that are not a normal part of the healing process. While the most common ones are not usually serious, some, like blood clots, can be extremely dangerous. A few complications include:

Breathlessness

Anaesthesia can hamper normal breathing and can stifle your urge to cough. After chest or abdominal surgery, it could hurt to breathe in deeply or push air out. Doctors say even mucus may build up in your lungs. While you may not have any symptoms, if a large part of your lung collapses or stops inflating, it can lead to breathlessness, a change in breathing and heart rate, and even blue lips and skin. To prevent a collapsing lung, you would use a device known as an incentive spirometer, which measures your breathing and helps you practice taking slow, deep breaths.

Infections

Infections are among the most common post-operative issues that most patients face. However, according to doctors, a majority of these infections are minor, affecting just the skin around the surgical cut. They slow the healing process. But sometimes one can become severe and even life-threatening. And so, you need to watch out for:

• Redness and swelling around the cut
• Fluid or pus draining from the wound
• High fever

Make sure to always wash your hands before you do anything. When in the hospital, ask all visitors to clean their hands, too, with soap and water or hand sanitizer.

Blood clots

Blood clots, which cause deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, can be a problem, especially after hip or leg surgery. It is a blood clot in a vein deep inside your thigh or belly. It may make your leg swollen, red, and painful, or it may not cause any symptoms at all. DVT is dangerous because if the clot breaks free, it can travel to your lungs and block blood flow, leading to a condition known as pulmonary embolism. The symptoms include:

• Sudden breathlessness
• Coughing
• Chest pain

Often, these are the first signs of trouble, and it's a medical emergency.

Reaction to anaesthesia

When you wake up from "being under," you may not be feeling your best. A few common complaints include:

• Being queasy
• Confusion
• Chills
• Itching all over the body
• Sore throat

While these symptoms may not last long, there can be severe reactions to anesthesia. For some people, confusion and memory loss can last as long as a week. And certain people are at greater risk of long-term memory loss. Make sure to inform your doctor about these risks if you have:

• Heart disease
• Alzheimer's disease
• Parkinson's disease
• Lung disease
• A stroke in the past