Removal of mesh after inguinal hernia repair.

Hi Douglas, I accidentally replied to Adele with a longer answer. To keep it shorter. You should probably try cortisone injections into the groin area. Only if this fails try Dr Towfigh from Beverly Hills. You can post questions on her herniatalk forum. She is top notch who does repair hernias with and without mesh. She also almost routinely removes meshes. There are other doctors. Their names are published on the herniatalk forum.

Hi! Where is her herniaforum?

I’ve Had an umbilicall hernia repair done one year and three months ago… Never recovered. Seen all sorts of Gastro specialist etc. Physical therapistd etc.. and they all say either it is nerve entrapment in scar tissue or sutures could be too tight. There was no mesh put in. My bellybutton always hurts I cannot lay on my stomach at all because of the scar tissue. I don’t know if it’s fixable or not. I have to always wear loose clothing- otherwise too much pain in abdomen. I used to jog and hike everyday before repair, totally stopped my life so to speak.

I walk everyday but can’t run. I look in shape, but don’t feel like it- at all. Usually spend most days trying to avoid ANYTHING that can make it worde. So tired of it. Wish I never had a repair. I can’t believe I just “ trusted” the Dr. I should Have done proper research. 

Hernia Center of Ohio or Hernia Center of Florida I believe.  I had mine removed in Ohio.  He did a great job.

https://www.herniatalk.com

I think that redo surgery may be done. If it’s too tight then mesh can be placed instead, which is tension free. Good thing that it’s not groin area with much less nerves running through. Classic symptom for nerve entrapment is shooting pain and sometimes burning sensation. Otherwise it may be that closure is “too tight”. I also think that there are doctors in multiple states who can do such redo using other technique.

Here is opinion on Desarda

https://www.herniatalk.com/356-desarda

Opinion was given by surgeons who know how to do non mesh hernia repair.

There are better pure tissue repair techniques. Not sure if they are considered “minimally invasive”. Modified Bassini, Shouldice. Minimally invasive in case of pure tissue repair is a marketing word, I think.

Can you share name of the doctor? Did he/she implanted new mesh or just closed gap with sutures? Was mesh located in groin abdominal region?

I would also suggest the hernia center of Ohio. I ended having two surgeries with Dr Grischkan  following complications with a lapro repair. I still have the original pain but generally have more mobility. You really have to way up the pros and cons with additional surgeries. In my case I nerally lost the use of my left leg as mesh was attached to my pubis. The removal of that mesh gave me back the use of my leg. Many times the surgeon has no idea of what he is going to find. My last surgery he told me it could take 25 mins or a couple of hours---It was 3 hours later that he finished and the majority of the mesh he could not remove. Really get a good understanding of your anatomy so as to understand the process.

I used Dr. Grischkan in Cleveland Ohio. Mesh entrapped my spermaric cord. Constant pain. Find a Dr. that will remove and not use mesh. Life will be much better.

I used Dr. Grischkan also. I was under for two hours. Lifesaver!!

Thank you for your input. I had a 3D mesh called the PHS (Prolene Hernia System) placed in around Nov 2016. Dr. Tomas removed 70% except on the cord (spermatocord). He said that the anchors of the mesh are attached to them. The risk of losing a testicle was the decision. Was your type of mesh the same? I believe the PHS is the one of the hardest ones to remove. Even Dr. Peterson, in Las Vegas, mentioned that I would has a greater risk of losing a testicle if all the mesh was removed...and that complications would be very higher. I have no regrets choosing Dr. Tomas.

Hi Marc. How long was your recovery after the mesh removal? How has the nerve pain if any changed? thanks.

 

Had removed beginning of January. Still have a dull ache at times. It got much better after about 6 months. It was much better than before after swelling went down in about 1 to 2 months.

Thanks!  I talk to my GP about it and she said the problem is most doctors don’t want to touch work that another surgeon has done… I definitely do not want to go back to my surgeon because from day one when I said I was in pain he wrote it off as it had to be something else. Which I know it isn’t. My bellybutton constantly looks purple and red and bruised .  Wondering if I can find hernia specialist may be in San Francisco..? I think they have a hernia specialist center, and maybe they could fix it. I have had burning sensations and shooting pains all the way down my legs and spine and everything. Also my stomach swells up if I do any type of housework, lift anything… And it seems to get very bloaty looking in the evening.  Last year in the summer they did CT scans, and an MRI and they said everything looked fine… but I’m not sure if those types of skills can see sutures being too tight.  another word something is that I can see something under the skin now, like in my belly button, it has to be the sutures because it looks gray or black and they are hard little lumps that hurt really bad . When I lay on my back you can see them sticking out 😩 so freaky. Feel a little helpless- everyone says keep up with physio therapy etc.. and I do, but that is not fixing that area with the lamps… if Anything it’s only getting worse .

I would recommend going out of the area to a very reputable hernia specialist. I have done in the past by myself. Closest to SF is LA - Dr Towfigh and WA - Dr Billing.

Yes I think that is good advice,

Thank you. I am going to look up these two dr’s! Thanks again!

There is also dr. William brown in San Fran. He specializes in ground hernias but would be worth reaxchjng outbti him and see if he can help-he specializes in non mesh repairs.

 OK great thanks I will look him up as well. Would be a little bit easier cause he’s closer !

hello again, just a quick update. I found a hernia specialist at the San Francisco University Hospital, and two days ago I had surgery removing the sutures the other surgeon had put in for the hernia repair. I think this new surgeon felt that may be my first surgery was a necessary in the first place as my hernia was so small and giving me so little pain compared to what I’ve had after surgery. today is my second day after having them removed and I am feeling much better today. Yesterday was rough because of the pain from surgery, but I noticed a huge difference sleeping last night it was not as painful. And today I got out of bed without the pain I normally feel… I’ll keep you posted to let you know how the surgery works out if my chronic pain gets improved by having the sutures removed. The new surgeon said sometimes you just can’t be too tired or cause nerve entrapment and scar tissue that is why he wanted to just remove them. if it isn’t better in a few months they will redo the hernia repair with mesh instead of sutures. I’m hoping I will not need this though… Prayers.

sorry for my spelling mistakes I was using Siri ! what I meant to say about the sutures was that my niece Jørgen said sometimes people are allergic to the sutures, or if they are too tight, and create problems such as nerve entrapment and scar tissue . Will keep an eye on this for the next few months to see if my chronic pain gets better now that the sutures are out

Hi Katrine, How are you feeling post suture removal? My husband found out he has 3 sutures remaining from a previous hernia repair where they took the mesh out (2 different meshes, 2 different surgeries). I don't know why those were not removed too, and I am suspicious those may be what is causing some of his chronic pain he is still having. Hope you are doing better now!! Steph and Carter