Hi, the surgeon is almost certainly telling you the worst-case scenario; with newspapers and the media howling for figures to show how incompetent doctors are, it is forcing doctors to practise defensive medicine. In the USA they will give you a huge list of possible complications for every tiny procedure.
However, pain does occur, it usually settles in a few days, sometimes a few weeks assuming it doesn't get infected. After six months pain is less likely for a number of reasons and most studies seem to think that around 1% is the figure for long term pain after this BUT getting really reliable and accurate data is difficult which is why there is a discrepancy in what you have been told. As I say, your surgeon is giving you all the information so that you can make an 'informed decision' which apparently is what patients want.
Hope this helps