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Did I break my repair?
Hey there,
Thanks for taking the time to read this!
Next, a little back story. I had bilateral inguinal hernia repairs on 7/24/19, and immediately knew my repair didn’t work. Not one doctor believed me!
I knew because it felt the exact same way as the hernia initially did. Anyway, thanks to a ct scan of my entire chest and the top of my groin for an unrelated issue, the ct scan revealed the left side had indeed reoccurred, to my doctor’’s shock and dismay.
So I just had a repair of the left repair on 11/19/19, and it’s felt very odd… it was an open repair instead of laparoscopic, and they also stripped the nerve. My skin is completely numb, but the insides hurt far worse than my first surgery which I just assume is due to being open.
Well, now it’s hurting even worse just a few days post op. I went to a clinic who then sent me to the ER yesterday due to possible PE. Turns out all negative, but there is a lot of air in my chest or something from inserting air for the surgery, which they believe is causing the heavy pressure on my chest and chest pain/back pain.
Regardless, this leads me to my main concern – is it possible I have torn or damaged the repair or mesh from being up and about? Is this possible at all? I haven’t been lifting or pulling or squatting etc., just the fact that I was up and about for a while yesterday going to the ER and clinic and being on my feet? I also woke up on my side in intense pain this morning and the pain is just incredible now. I feel the pain pulse all around from my groin back to my glutes, up to my stomach. I hope it’s all just regular post op pain, but is damaging a repair a possibility at all?
Thank you in advance!
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5 Replies
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[USER=”2051″]ajm222[/USER]
Dear AJM
Pain from hip impingement and labral tears is often felt in the inguinal region.
You can ask your local orthopedic surgeon to evaluate your hip.
Your hernia surgeon should be able to evaluate you for the other problems.
Regards.
Bill Brown MD -
quote DrBrown:[USER=”3076″]ChrisKeys89[/USER]
Dear Chris.
The most common causes of pain after mesh hernia repair is
1. shinkage and fibrosis of the mesh
2. scarring of the spermatic cord or the local nerves to the mesh.
3. recurrent hernia.
4. hip problems.
Ask your surgeon to evaluate the above possibilities.
Regards
Bill Brown MDwhen you say hip problems, do you mean hip problems directly related to the mesh? just trying understand how that would occur. thanks.
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[USER=”3076″]ChrisKeys89[/USER]
Dear Chris.
The most common causes of pain after mesh hernia repair is
1. shinkage and fibrosis of the mesh
2. scarring of the spermatic cord or the local nerves to the mesh.
3. recurrent hernia.
4. hip problems.
Ask your surgeon to evaluate the above possibilities.
Regards
Bill Brown MD -
Yes, you’re right – it was a repair of mesh with more mesh, thanks for that detail!
Update – I coughed today and am in unbearable pain now, and I’m really worried all that moving has damaged my repair. If anyone knows the extent of the damage one can cause on their repair, please let me know – I’m very worried about this. I’m dreading just thinking about possibly needing a 3rd surgery, this had been one massive nightmare. Thank you all in advance.
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Was the repair of the recurrence a mesh repair or a suture repair? It sounds like you’re saying that they did an open mesh repair on top of a laparoscopic mesh repair. Creating a “sandwich”, with mesh on the inside and the outside of the abdominal wall.
Get the details of your surgery and their might be a clue. But you’ve had a lot of trauma in the last few months, 4 months since the lap repair and 4 days since the recurrence open repair. Mesh does not generally tear or break. It sounds like some nerves were damaged, causing referred pain.
Good luck. Get the details.
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