Santiago Casanova
Branched out member
- Location
- Sink Hole
The discussion about the snip has got me thinking that others could benefit from a hernia discussion as well. I am grateful for everybody advice on the snip. I will never get it done.
In April of 2017 I was in a read end car accident. A large SUV hit the back of my wife's car with us in it. We had the usual neck and back pain but the seat belt's lap bet gave me an inguinal hernia on the right side. When I discovered it I got some webbing and a foam block and made a belt to keep my intestines behind the abdominal wall. That worked but it was not a permanent solution to my problem. I was advised by a surgeon to live with it or have it repaired with mesh. He said that it was malpractice to repair a hernia the "old fashioned way." I was told that I would have a 20 to 30% chance it would return if I did not use mesh. I was not convinced. I went to one of his colleagues that was willing to do a traditional repair.
I had the traditional repair. It involved a 3" incision and using permanent sutures to tie the mussel to the inguinal ligament. The mesh repair would have involved inflating my abdomen with gas and using a robot to put mesh inside my abdominal wall. Then a robot stitches the mesh to the muscle.
Even though I was advised against the old repair I feel it was and still is the superior repair. The mesh will scar into the muscle. If it needs to be removed or adjusted, the muscle needs to be cut away to release the mesh. That involves going under again. The stitches I have are outside of the abdominal wall. They can be removed with nothing more than local anesthetic. Also, if the hernia returned, the sutures can be cut and the mesh can be installed. If the mesh is installed, there is no going back.
Having a background in construction helped me make the decision as well. I understand the need for room to properly service equipment. When the fault is near the surface and can be accessed through a incision in the skin I see no need to use a robot and inflate me with gas to make room. The surgeon even said that a traditional repair is easiest for him to do. No sense in making the surgeon do something unnecessary. It does cost more for a laparoscopic repair because they need more equipment and people. They did not use the robot on me but they did have the machine that goes "ping."
The proof is in the pudding. I have had no issues with the repair. I can feel a line of scar tissue under the incision but that is minimal. I have been climbing with no issues but minimal pain the next day. My biggest worry about the hernia was being able to climb again. I can climb, I just need to be careful and avoid twisting too much.
I had the surgery in August of 2017. I am 100% satisfied with my decision to go old school. I would advise anybody with an inguinal hernia to consider a meshless repair. The only downside was the recovery. I was out for a week and a half. Also, nobody told me about the swelling or busing. Expect your boys to be the size of grapefruits and as purple as purple gets. I had to waddle sideways through the hallway for a few days. I did not use the painkillers after the surgery because they made things worse. I could sleep for 8 hours straight after I stopped taking them. The busing was so painful for a few days that I did not feel the incision until after the swelling went down.
If you guys have any questions, just ask in the thread.
In April of 2017 I was in a read end car accident. A large SUV hit the back of my wife's car with us in it. We had the usual neck and back pain but the seat belt's lap bet gave me an inguinal hernia on the right side. When I discovered it I got some webbing and a foam block and made a belt to keep my intestines behind the abdominal wall. That worked but it was not a permanent solution to my problem. I was advised by a surgeon to live with it or have it repaired with mesh. He said that it was malpractice to repair a hernia the "old fashioned way." I was told that I would have a 20 to 30% chance it would return if I did not use mesh. I was not convinced. I went to one of his colleagues that was willing to do a traditional repair.
I had the traditional repair. It involved a 3" incision and using permanent sutures to tie the mussel to the inguinal ligament. The mesh repair would have involved inflating my abdomen with gas and using a robot to put mesh inside my abdominal wall. Then a robot stitches the mesh to the muscle.
Even though I was advised against the old repair I feel it was and still is the superior repair. The mesh will scar into the muscle. If it needs to be removed or adjusted, the muscle needs to be cut away to release the mesh. That involves going under again. The stitches I have are outside of the abdominal wall. They can be removed with nothing more than local anesthetic. Also, if the hernia returned, the sutures can be cut and the mesh can be installed. If the mesh is installed, there is no going back.
Having a background in construction helped me make the decision as well. I understand the need for room to properly service equipment. When the fault is near the surface and can be accessed through a incision in the skin I see no need to use a robot and inflate me with gas to make room. The surgeon even said that a traditional repair is easiest for him to do. No sense in making the surgeon do something unnecessary. It does cost more for a laparoscopic repair because they need more equipment and people. They did not use the robot on me but they did have the machine that goes "ping."
The proof is in the pudding. I have had no issues with the repair. I can feel a line of scar tissue under the incision but that is minimal. I have been climbing with no issues but minimal pain the next day. My biggest worry about the hernia was being able to climb again. I can climb, I just need to be careful and avoid twisting too much.
I had the surgery in August of 2017. I am 100% satisfied with my decision to go old school. I would advise anybody with an inguinal hernia to consider a meshless repair. The only downside was the recovery. I was out for a week and a half. Also, nobody told me about the swelling or busing. Expect your boys to be the size of grapefruits and as purple as purple gets. I had to waddle sideways through the hallway for a few days. I did not use the painkillers after the surgery because they made things worse. I could sleep for 8 hours straight after I stopped taking them. The busing was so painful for a few days that I did not feel the incision until after the swelling went down.
If you guys have any questions, just ask in the thread.
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